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It is Impossible

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows. ~ Epictetus

Pride...like all things can be beneficial, but misused can be downright destructive. I'm proud of my grandson counting to ten in his little person voice as he counts his steps, his toys, the monkeys in his book, etc. I'm proud when I finish a course and receive an A. But what about my pride when someone offends me? Do I have the right to be offended and prideful? Do I allow pride to stand in the way of truth and edification? If I place myself above all in everything, then pride serves no purpose but to make me look foolish, close my mind, and drive others away.

Have you ever dealt with someone who goes on the defensive immediately upon hearing something they do not like? I think everyone has, and it's so frustrating not to be able to penetrate their jabber. They don't allow you to get a word in edgewise. Often they assume things incorrectly and open their mouths every time you start to speak. Engaging in a conversation with someone who does not listen is pointless. If you raise your voice, it does no good, you both just look foolish, and nothing, but nothing at all gets accomplished. It's best to just say, "Have a great day." and move on.

Not only does selfish pride make one look idiotic, it discourages intellectual and emotional growth. When you refuse to listen to reason, you lose. Why close your mind to new ideas before hearing them out? One should have no fear of learning, listening, and watching the world around you. But you must learn to accept truth based on truth and not based on sympathy. You can't alleviate all suffering in this world because man is imperfect and has been given freedom of heart to choose good or evil. We bring calamity upon ourselves with selfish pride disguised under the facade of a misguided use of our God-given freedom.

Let's finally take a look at pridefulness in our relationship with others. It's very difficult to be around someone who thinks they know everything and won't listen to anyone else's opinions. Even if you don't agree with what is being said, there is no harm in letting others express themselves. Just listening to others' viewpoints won't hurt you. It's actually fascinating, when you ask the right questions, to learn how they came to form their opinions. But, sadly, we lack respect for opinions that differ from our own when we refuse to even just listen. If someone so prideful operates on this level of disrespect with everyone they come in contact with...they will eventually be avoided like the plague.

So, it's only to one's advantage to develop a healthy outlook on life. It's your duty to develop your conscious so when confronted with misguided truths, you can listen and discern - and maybe with a respectful love turn someone around with your knowledge of truth by being kind and open, tolerant (which doesn't mean in agreement with) and loving by developing, with prayer and hard work, a healthy pride within one's soul. In this way, you are equipped to deal with defensive people by reason or by just letting go because you are content and strong in truth. You gain, with every bit of knowledge you acquire, a strength to deal with adversity and challenges that seemed too much to handle. By developing a true sense of pride, you can develop healthy and long lasting relationships, which is what God intended for us. We were not made to be alone, but in community, strengthening each other towards a common goal: Heaven!

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