In church yesterday, Ds. Breda Ludik discussed a monk named Bernard who made a "ladder" to humility. This ladder goes both ways. And it has 12 "rungs".
When I think of humility, I think of service. But opposite humility is pride.
Pride is just plain ugly.
The one rung that stood out for me was confession. That is one tool that we have left to rust in the shed. Something that the protestants have discarded. I believe that is paramount to being humble.
We keep justifying our sins. I say that anyone would have done that. Or even, it is how I am.
I am guilty of it all. I am guilty of thinking I am better, or cleverer or whatever. I have disregarded people. I am proud, too often.
I don't listen enough.
Other people matter more...
3 comments:
Discussing pride in further detail this week.
Comparison is crucial to pride.
You don't want to be pretty, you want to be prettIER. It is in comparison that the poison lie.
Do you have the 12 rungs of the ladder? Maybe you can post it up sometime? Sounds like a very enlightening read.
Yes I think I made notes on my phone...
1. Dwalende oog (Wandering Eyes)
You start off by looking around and then:
2. Meerderwaardigheid/Jaloesie
(superiority/jealousy)
-- This follows very easily, you start comparing. You are eith better, you think you are superiorer better, or worse. Either you are better (or whatever you are comparing is better), or else you are jealous because you are inferior.
3. liggeraaktheid (touchy)
This means you easily think things are about you and you interpret things differently than how it was meant.
4. Spoggery (braggery/boasting)
You are advertising your achievements.
5. Valse vertoon (False Facade)
You are inflating achievements into something more than it is. (at this stage you still care what other people think of you)
6. Verwaandheid (arrogance)
Well, here we start really touching on pride
7. Aanmatigendheid (Usurping?)
You start taking what is not rightfully yours... not necessarily physically
8. Selfregverdiging (self righteousness)
You start justifying actions that are unjustifyable
9. Valse sondebelydenis (false confession)
Here, once you have really messed up, you try to swing it around. You'll say : See when I do make a mistake... I am so humble about it and I admit to it. You should learn from that.
10. Opstand, wil lei (Revolt, wants to lead)
Here you undermine authority and wants to get all power.
11. Vryheid om te sondig (Freedom to sin)
You are so selfabsorbed that even your conscience can't accuse you. You don't care what people think of you.
12. Gewoontesondaars (habitual sinner)
You are absolutely enveloped by pride and sin.
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