You can read Molly Friesen’s (of Peacemaker Ministries) interaction with a chapter of Unpacking Forgiveness here. She writes:
I thought this whole chapter was excellent and challenging, but I wanted to close with what I thought was a particularly key point. Brauns points out that pride “is not limited to arrogance or cockiness; it is not just an inflated opinion of oneself. Pride is any way of putting self into the central focus” (81, emphasis mine). He then goes on to list some of the more subtle, insidious ways that pride manifests itself in our lives. See if you can claim to not get “trapped” somewhere (or everywhere!) in this list . . .
Read the rest here.
I’m not saying I agree with Mike Singletary’s entire approach. The pants thing at half time is probably not something a pastor should do at a deacon’s meeting.
However, I am refreshed by a coach who gets what winning is about.
Summary: An otherwise cocky Vernon Davis got called for a personal foul. He then walked nonchalantly to the sideline. New interim coach Singletary was having none of it. He pulled Davis from the game and sat him on the bench.
Watch Singletary’s explanation here.
There is such a thing as being so right that you’re wrong. One of the most dangerous points in life is when you’re know that you’re right and you begin to really, really hold on to being right.
Let’s say that someone has offended you, and you know that you have been wronged. Many of us have a tendency at those points to hold on or to blow the thing up.
Don’t do it.
One of the verses I talk about a lot in my book, Unpacking Forgiveness, is Proverbs 19:11. “A man’s wisdom gives him patience. It’s to his glory to overlook an offense.”
There are times when the most glorious thing to do is not to hold stubbornly on to being right – - rather, let the matter go.
Of course, it takes the wisdom of Solomon to discern which times we need to stand on God’s principles, and which times we need to let go of a matter. One of the areas I spend a lot of time on in my book, Unpacking Forgiveness is how to know when to pursue resolution of an offense, and when to simply let the matter go.
I wonder if there is someone listening right now who is about to really dig in about something at church, or home. You’re sure that you’re right. And, you probably are. But, don’t insist on being right so vehemently that you end up being wrong.
Remember, a man’s wisdom gives him patience. It’s to his glory to overlook an offense. Love covers over a multitude of sins.
Published on
November 1, 2008 in
Blogroll.
Mike Wittmer, author of Heaven is a Place on Earth, and the soon to be released, Don’t Stop Believing, has a blog. Click here.
