Pretty Small

I don’t know about you but I have a tendency to think more highly about myself than I should. I sometimes feel that I am so talented and so important or that everything is up to me and I don’t need any help. This is pride, the chief sin in the Bible. I sometimes think I could be the poster child for pride.

My wife took this picture of me a night or two ago. It's something I need to look at with regularity to remind me that, in the greater scheme of things, I truly am really small and I do need lots of help (for those of you who don't know, I'm freakishly tall at 6 feet, 8 and ½ inches tall).

The same is true of all of us...we all need help and can do nothing without Him. Jesus reminded us of this when He said:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

Dripping Pride

Drip. Drip. Drip. That was the sound that came from two of our bathroom faucets in our house. Last Wednesday, I went to the hardware store to purchase seats and springs to fix the issue. I am not the most handy guy on the planet, but I can typically do stuff like this (I have done this about 5-6 times in the past). Because of my "experience" with this issue, I figured this job would take about 15-20 minutes to fix both faucets.

When I arrived home, I put in the parts and found they were the wrong size. So...trip #2 to the hardware store.

After returning, I put in the new parts and they fit great. I then reattached the faucet, turned the water on, and...nothing. Not even a drip. So, I was very successful at stopping the drip, because now nothing came out of the faucet!

I took it apart and reassembled it...now just a slight trickle. Took it apart, put it back together, now, nothing. I repeated this countless times with no positive results.

So I gave up on that faucet and went to the other one. Same exact results.

Then my wife and 13 year-old son, Robbie, come home from a pool party our church youth group held. After explaining the situation, Robbie says to me, "What about that thingy?" He was pointing at the aerator on the end of the faucet. I said, "No, that couldn't be it since water was coming out fine before." After all, how could a 13 year-old have the answer to this "complex" problem?

After a few more tries, I became totally frustrated and gave up for the night. Because I was busy, I didn't get back to it until Saturday.

Saturday morning, I took the entire faucet apart and went to the hardware store for the third time. I asked their plumbing expert what I was doing wrong and he told me everything I was doing seemed right to him. He wished me well and sent me on my way.

So, back home I went to try it again. After a few more tries with the same result, I found myself grasping at straws. I thought I might as well take the aerator off to see if Robbie was right, as I had no other options.

Sure enough, it was totally clogged by some sediment I must have stirred up while working on it. I cleaned both aerators out and the faucets work fine now! Had I listened to Robbie from the get-go, I would have saved myself several hours of frustration.

I wondered to myself how many other instances I ignore words of advice because it is coming from someone whom I don't feel could possibly have any wisdom to share.

Bill Hybels has said several times during the Willow Creek Leadership Summit that he looks to learn from all sort of people. As a result, they have had some speakers at the Summit, who would probably surprise you...not people you would typically see at a Christian event. Hybels knows we can all learn from anyone, even if we don't agree with them about everything.

Hybels is right. We can learn from anyone...if our pride doesn't get in the way!

Judgement

From a recent email I received:

One day God was looking down at Earth and saw all of the rascally behavior that was going on. So he called one of His angels and sent the angel to Earth for a time.

When he returned, he told God, "Yes, it is bad on Earth; 95% are misbehaving and only 5% are not.

God thought for a moment and said, "Maybe I had better send down a second angel to get another opinion." So God called another angel and sent him to Earth for a time.

When the angel returned he went to God and said, "Yes, it's true. The Earth is in decline; 95% are misbehaving, but 5% are being good."

God was not pleased. So He decided to e-mail the 5% that were good, because he wanted to encourage them, and give them a little something to help them keep going.

Do you know what the e-mail said?

...
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Okay, I was just wondering, because I didn't get one either.

While I don't agree with the theology of this, I do think it's funny...and a bit true. We all are messed up. Isn't it refreshing to know that you are not the only one who has issues? We all do. We should remember this when dealing with others.

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Matthew 7:1-2

Pride Before The Fall

I was watching American Idol last night with some of my family. This was the second show this season, and if you have ever watched it, you know that in the early shows they will showcase both people with talent and others who clearly do not have musical ability.

It was easy to spot when someone would do well or when they would flop. The people who would flop were typically the ones who would sound cocky and say that they would be the next American Idol.

Last night, one girl said that she thought the judges would be very surprised that such a powerful voice would come from a cute little girl. Well, Simon Cowell (one of the judges) actually said that her singing reminded him of a cat falling off the Empire State Building. Ouch!

Anyway, this shouldn't be surprising. The Bible warns us of this thing called pride quite frequently.

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

Pride Before The Fall

Many of you know that I am a huge Ohio State football fan. I was born in Columbus while my Dad was in dental school there and I think I was dropped on my head, so I'm a little brain damaged about the Buckeyes.

Tomorrow they will play Michigan for the 105th time. It is the greatest rivalry in sports. This year is a little strange because Michigan is struggling and has the most losses (8) they have ever had in program history. The Buckeyes have also under-achieved this year but at nine wins and two losses, they are heavy favorites (20 1/2 points).

I have talked to many Michigan fans and a few Ohio State fans who think this is going to be a blowout and that Ohio State is going to win big. I don't feel this way. I hope they are right, but I believe it is going to be much closer than everyone says. In this rivalry game, anything can happen.

I remember in 1996, Ohio State was beating everyone by an average of something like 30 points a game. They appeared unstoppable. That year they were an 18 point favorite over Michigan. Michigan won.

In the mid to late 80s, Earle Bruce was coaching his last game for the Buckeyes and they were heavy underdogs playing in Ann Arbor. Ohio State won.

In 1969, Bo Schembechler was coaching the Wolverines in his first Ohio State, Michigan game and his team was a huge underdog. This was perhaps Woody Hayes' best Buckeye team he had ever coached. Michigan won.

In this game, the record books can be thrown out. Anyone can win. That's one of the reasons this is such a great rivalry. I hope the Buckeyes aren't too sure of themselves!

The Bible even weighs in on this topic in Proverbs 16:18:

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Go Bucks!

Pride Before The Fall

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

Pride. It is something that I admit I have an issue with.

Others seem to as well.

I am a Detroit Tigers fan. I have been since I was very young. My grampa would pick me up several times each summer to head up to Tiger Stadium to watch the "boys of summer." It was great fun.

That was in the early '70s and they were pretty good back then. From that point on I was hooked. Then I lived through some very tough years. Until their great year in 1984, it seemed like we weren't out of April and I would already be saying, "Wait till next year!"

So when the Tigers are contenders that is exciting.

This past off-season, the Tigers' front office made some brilliant moves and acquired some all-star players to bolster their already talented team. Most experts were predicting them to contend for the World Series and some were even saying they were the best team in baseball.

I, along with other Tigers' fans, was excited.

We are now 7 games into the season. The Tigers still have a very talented lineup, in fact they have the second highest payroll in all of baseball behind the Yankees. However, the Tigers are the only team in baseball without a win.

0-7. Pitiful.

I think the Tigers may have been reading their press clippings. Once again, another example of the pride before the fall which is a great example for all of us.

Arrogance

Arrogance is one of the most destructive things that a leader can have. I experienced a very arrogant leader in a job I had several years ago which prompted me to write the book, Bleedership, Biblical First-Aid for Leaders.

My boss felt because of his position, he had free reign to do whatever he wanted, as if the rules did not apply to him. That is probably why I liked this story I recently received in an email:

A cocky U.S. Department of Agriculture representative stopped at a farm and talked with an old farmer. He told the farmer, 'I need to inspect your farm.'

The old farmer said, 'OK, but don't go in that field right over yonder.'

The Agriculture representative said, 'Mister, I have the authority of the United States Government with me. See this card? The card means I am allowed to go WHEREVER I WISH on any agricultural land. No questions asked or answered. Have I made myself clear? Do you understand!?'

The farmer nodded politely and went about his farm chores.

Half an hour later, the farmer heard loud screams and saw the Agriculture Rep running for the fence and close behind was the farmer's huge-horned prize bull. The bull was gaining on the Agriculture Rep with every step.

The Rep was clearly terrified, so farmer immediately threw down his tools, ran to the fence and shouted out, 'Your card! Your card! Show him your card!'

Pride Before the Fall

I'm on vacation in the Smoky Mountains with my family and my dad, my step-mom, two of my sisters and their families. Two days ago, we took a great hike to Grotto Falls which is pictured above.

I have been here many times and remembered it as a short, relatively easy hike. After all, it is only 1.2 miles up to the falls. It is a hike we typically take with the younger kids since it is not too difficult.

Well, about 1/4 of a mile into the hike I was huffing and puffing. It was harder than I remembered. In fact, I was not ready for the hike. I usually wear two pair of socks when I hike and I only wore one for this "easy" hike. I also didn't lace up my hiking boots very tightly as I felt I wouldn't need them very tight.
On the way down I paid for it. I didn't fall, but my pride cost me. I stepped on a root and turned my ankle. As a result I was unable to hike yesterday (thankfully I was able to hike today!).

This is not much different than my everyday life when pride gets the best of me and I eventually pay for it. Oh well, one of these days I hope I can learn this lesson.