Is pride always a sin?<\/p>\n
We are to be happy when we do good things.\u00a0 But what is our attitude when we do good work?\u00a0 Do we take all the credit without acknowledging those who helped us or without thanking God for helping us?<\/p>\n
When we have done good work we should be pleased.\u00a0 We should also give thanks to anyone who has helped us (share the credit).\u00a0 We should thank God for the gifts he has given us to make it possible to do good.<\/p>\n
When people tell us we have done a good job, we should be gracious and thank them for the compliment.\u00a0 It is not true humility when we try and make it seem like we didn’t do that much.\u00a0 I know because I do this.\u00a0 When people give me a compliment I try to downplay the significance of what I have done; perhaps saying something like ‘oh it didn’t take that much.”\u00a0 God created the world in six days and on the seventh day he rested and appreciated the good work he did.\u00a0 We are to follow God’s example.\u00a0 When I receive a compliment now I try to offer a thank you and say I am able to do it only because of the grace of God.<\/p>\n
Pride becomes a problem when we take ALL the credit ourself and build an ego where we claim we did it on our own and then cut ourselves off from God and others.\u00a0 Then, when we try to do by ourselves, we find out just how much help we need from God.\u00a0 We try to do it our way rather than God’s way.\u00a0 We come to think we know better than God.<\/p>\n
At times, when I read the Letters of St. Paul in the New Testament, I feel like he had a big ego because he talks a lot about the good work he has done.\u00a0 But then we read in 2 Corinthians 12:9<\/a> we read<\/p>\n “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n God gives us each different gifts in different ways.\u00a0 It is when we acknowledge that we can’t do it all ourselves that God makes up for what we cannot do ourselves.\u00a0 It is when we acknowledge what we can’t do that God helps us, making us strong.<\/p>\n Do you have too much pride?\u00a0 Do you acknowledge God’s help?\u00a0 Do you acknowledge the help of others?<\/p>\n Peace,<\/p>\n Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Is pride always a sin? We are to be happy when we do good things.\u00a0 But what is our attitude when we do good work?\u00a0 Do we take all the credit without acknowledging those who helped us or without thanking God for helping us? When we have done good work we should be pleased.\u00a0 We …<\/p>\n