Do you already have it?
I can remember going to a bridal shower, and to get people to get to know one another they had a game. In this game they gave each person three tiny clothes pins to clip to their clothes. The rules of the game were simple, if you say. “Me, my or I,” you have to forfeit one of your clothes pins. My first reaction was, easy peasy! Until I was caught saying; ‘these clothes pins are so cute, I use to have some like this when I was a kid. A hand shot out from the person next to me asking me to relinquish one of my clothes pins. I didn’t see that coming, I will have to be more careful, ‘I thought to myself.’ As the shower moved on and we began to eat and relax, those in attendance let down their guard, and would answer simple questions like, “how do you know the bride?” Responding with, ‘I’ met her… forfeiting the clothes pin when the inquisitor’s hand appeared palm up. Looking around the room I saw people happily chatting, having been divested of all their pins early in the game, while others whose chest looked like a war hero’s, weighted down with clothes pins, like campaign ribbons, sat quietly listening, ready to pounce on any unsuspecting pronoun using prey. At the end of the shower, the person who had the most clothes pins won a small prize, but learning an important lesson about not talking about oneself and listening to others.
Another example of the, me too, disease happened at a friend’s house. When asked to stop by and meet her new step mother, my daughter and I were happy to comply. After what seemed to be a lovely visit we said our good bye’s and left. In the car, my daughter, (who usually gives people the benefit of the doubt, and doesn’t criticize anyone), said, “she has the, me too disease.” That was the first time I ever heard that expression, and I asked her what that means. Her response was, “no matter what anyone said, that lady had done it better, or had it worse, or came up with something before anyone else!” Thinking back on the conversations we just had with that particular lady and in the replay discovered my daughter had been correct in her deduction. That woman’s favorite subject was herself.
These examples are to drive home the point that you don’t have to be hoisted on your own petard. Just living a good life and caring about others more than yourself will enhance your life immeasurably. The Bible tells us that God will exalt us if we live humble caring lives. And in the end, don’t you get tired of the sound of your own voice?
As parents one of the hardest lessons to teach is humbleness. Especially when we encourage them to strive to be the best they can be. The fine line is making them realize that they have God-given abilities and talents, and when used to glorify Jesus Christ, can be very rewarding. The key is ‘to God be the glory’, then they can enjoy both humbleness and pride in a job well done.
We as writers, use our writings to express, what we have trouble expressing in our daily lives. We can become very prideful when we taste success. Let us be careful, lest we become a one pony show! Humility would be our better option.
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Luke 18:10-14
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
Matthew 23:12
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
James 4:10