On Sunday PB spoke about Pride and how there are two types. For those of us who have grown up in a church environment, this is not anything new. But also for those of us who have grown up in a church environment, reminders are always good.
The Superiority version of Pride is the one that most people know and think of. The one in which someone thinks that he/she is always right or entitled to something or better than others. He/she can seem ridiculously full of him/herself at times. He/she cannot admit that he/she might be wrong or that someone else is right.
The Inferiority version of Pride is the one in which the person is constantly berating him/herself, always bringing him/herself down, etc. Some people confuse this with intense humility but really, it looks more like incredibly poor self-esteem (not that that is necessarily always the reason for the self-deprecation).
The issue in both of these situations is that there is too much of the Self and not enough of God/Others. Pride is the right category for both attitudes because both attitudes are self-centered/self-absorbed. Humility isn't thinking less of yourself; it's thinking about yourself less.
When PB reiterated this Pride dichotomy, it hit me hard: I am a really, really prideful person. Why? Because I suffer from BOTH ends of the spectrum and encompass none of the middle section of humility and healthy balance. I either think I am the Most Awesome Person Ever or that I have no utility and no value. My attitude is always me-focused.
I was aware of this before but I always thought I'd eventually grow up and learn some real humility. 22 years into this life, I am still far from humble.
That's humbling.
