Humility, not Arrogance
By: Elias Bejjani*
August 07/12
"He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down
princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry
with good things. He has sent the rich away empty". (Luke 01/51-54)
Those who falsely delude themselves into thinking they are superior to others,
super wise and can do everything and any thing, fall into the evil trap of arrogance. By doing
so they badly detach themselves from the reality of God's love. They build
delusional castles in their minds, imprison themselves inside its imaginary
gates and ultimately become completely blind in both heart and soul .
Arrogant individuals inevitably become hostile, angry, childish, selfish,
antisocial and narcissists who are not welcomed anywhere. People avoid those who
brag and exalt themselves. Arrogance is a very serious social problem caused by
lack of faith that needs to be fixed before it gets worse. God does not bless
those who are arrogant.
Almighty God has made it very clear in His Holy Book that He does not like those
who are pompous, proud, and conceited because He Himself is a caring, humble,
and meek Father. "Come to me, all you who labour and are heavily burdened, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle
and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
Meanwhile, we cannot solve any problem unless we admit that it actually exists,
and at the same time become fully aware of its causing factors. We cannot defeat
the evil of arrogance and the destructive self-exaltation that results unless we
know our own capabilities, means and resources. And most importantly, recognize
that all people are brothers and sisters to one Father, the Almighty God.
One might wonder why some people tend to behave in such a way that they end
being socially hated and isolated. Mainly because of their ignorance, distorted
self-image, and most importantly because they have very little or no faith at
all. They fail to gain genuine friends and have no room for intimate and long
lasting relationships. Even their close family members avoid them and do not
feel comfortable in their presence. They cannot love others because of their
narcissism.
These disturbed individuals need to be humble, loving, and honest to overcome
their arrogant behaviour. They need to call on Almighty God for the grace of
humility. God always responds to our calls and prayers when we put our full
trust in Him, recognize His love, and lay our lives in His generous hands. "Most
certainly I tell you, if you have faith, and don’t doubt, you will not only do
what was done to the fig tree, but even if you told this mountain, ‘Be taken up
and cast into the sea,’ it would be done. All things, whatever you ask in
prayer, believing, you will receive." (Matthew 21/21-22)
Humility is the magic curing medicine for arrogance. This heavenly grace is
always there for us if and when we pursue it with faith and unquestionable trust
in God. Knowing what humility means to our lives and for our salvation is
critically important.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111:10)
There is humility that comes from the fear of God, and there is humility that
comes from God Himself. Some are modest because they fear God, and some are
modest because they know how to live with all the heavenly endowments that
banishes all doubts, fears, selfishness, hatred, covetousness and grudges from
our earthly nature.
Those who fear God are humble because they enjoy peace within themselves. Those
who fear God watch what they say and do, find sweetness in their bodies which
are God's temples, and experience the priceless grace of balance in their
senses, granting them full control over their instincts and a forgiving heart at
all times.
Those who are humble because they know and experience genuine happiness with
purity, enjoy great simplicity all the time with a cheerful and transparent
heart. God loves the humble and always comes to their rescue so that no
hardships or evil things can weaken their faith, entrap them into the
temptations of the wicked and unrighteous, or makes them slaves to sin. Jesus
Christ Himself has set the rules in regards to humility: "But he who is greatest
among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and
whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23/11-12)
The Bible (Malachi 4/1-6), Tells us exactly what the proud and wicked will be
facing on the Day of Judgment. Let us never forget this or keep a blind eye on it:
“For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all
who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up,”
says Yahweh of Armies, “that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But to
you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its
wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall. You shall tread down
the wicked; for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that
I make,” says Yahweh of Armies. “Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I
commanded to him in Horeb for all Israel, even statutes and ordinances. Behold,
I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh
comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of
the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse."
In conclusion, humbleness is a blessed grace that we need to pursue via faith,
love and fear of God. To be really God's children we must dearly hold on to this
grace and integrate it into our every day life, heart, mind and practise. We are
all equal and have one Father who created us on his image. We are all one family, brothers and sisters
no matter who we are. That we are all children of God the Father is true no
matter where we live, what our racial identity is, the language we speak, the
social status that we enjoy, the wealth that we have, the strength that we
possess, and even whether we are good or sinful. Almighty God is our loving
Father and accordingly we must learn to be humble before Him and love each other
more intimately as members of His one family.
*Elias Bejjani
Canadian-Lebanese Human Rights activist, journalist and political
commentator
Email phoenicia@hotmail.com
Web sites http://www.10452lccc.com
& http://www.clhrf.com
Elias Bejjani's Face Book site
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602442765#!/