Okay, okay, I’ll say it. I’ll muster up the courage and announce those three little words that are the hardest ones to say.
I was wrong.
Ouch. Now it’s out there, it’s official. The whole world now knows that Emily Megan Smith did not get it right. But just the one time. It’s not like this occurs on a regular basis or anything…
A couple weeks ago I said that I was sure that my sister-in-law was pregnant with a little boy. And so now I’m sure you’ve figured out that IT”S A GIRL!!!!
A beautiful, gorgeous little girl with lots of dark hair and the sweetest little coos you’ve ever heard.
Of course, it’s easy to admit you’re wrong when you wind up with an adorable new niece. But admitting I’m wrong at work? Or admitting I’m wrong to my husband? Not so much.
The difficulty in uttering those three words comes down to one thing: pride. I have yet to meet a person who doesn’t struggle with it in one way or another. It’s that human nature within us. The desire to ultimately put ourselves first. To think better of ourselves then we really are. To forget that the only good thing in us is Christ.
The Bible has some pretty harsh things to say about pride, and rightly so, as it is one of the things God hates. Proverbs 16:5 says, “The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.”
If there’s one thing I don’t want the Lord to feel towards me, it is certainly detest! But my pride comes when I fail to look at God as I should, the Creator of the Universe, the only One who is Holy and Righteous, and fail to look at myself as I should, the one who is created by Him and for Him, and who doesn’t live like it.
But the Bible doesn’t simply tell us to not be proud or God will hate us. It tells us what to put on instead of pride – humility. Proverbs 22:4 says, “Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.” Psalm 25:9 says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.” Other Scriptures teach that God sustains the humble, He gives grace to the humble, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
What amazing promises God gives to those who are humble! When we are humble we show a right view of God and a right view of ourselves, an understanding of who He is and what He is worthy of, and a desire for Him to be above us and everything else there is in our lives. And when that all happens in our lives good things happen as a result!
I don’t know about you, but reading those verses gives me a whole lot more motivation to admit that I was wrong. In fact, I’m pretty sure I probably have someone I need to go say it to now.
Emily