Nineteen Years Old and Counting

Dear TEAMS,

We just got back from a lovely vacation to the Poconos.  This year, your father and I decided we’d rather have all of you for a shorter time than vacation for a week without you all there, so we took a long weekend.  Since we would be spending less money (theoretically) than we budgeted, we also brought along A’s wonderful boyfriend and our wonderful neighborhood friend.

We declared a “techonology-free” weekend (meaning no use of cell phones or computer).  It was wonderful to really be able to sit and talk with you all about stuff we don’t usually get to talk about.  One such time was Friday night when we were out at Red Robin and E was sitting with us at our table (because a table for 9 is hard at a restaurant).  She looked at us thoughtfully, and asked, “If you could go back in time and tell your 19-year old self anything, what would you tell you?”

It was a perceptive question.  Daddy, as usual, was quick-thinking and he responded that he would tell himself not to get as stressed about stuff, because it all always works out.  I have to say, I almost simply agreed with him.  However, there was one ironic thing nagging me that I knew I needed to say.

“I would tell myself that there’s a reason the Bible says that Pride goes before a fall, and that I have no idea how prideful I really am, and that some of the worst situations in life I will get into are because of my pride.”  And then I laughed and added, “and the thing is, I was so prideful at 19 that I bet that my 19-year old self actually would think that there was no way I could be right and that I knew better…than my 46-year old self.”

I feel very confident telling you that the depressive episodes I have had had pride as the root.  The cause of the worst relationship failures I have had?  Pride as well.  The fact that I didn’t perform as well as I wished in the important things in life?  The Big P, once again. 

Pride isn’t just thinking you know better than someone else.  Pride isn’t the absence of humility or the opposite of humility.  Pride is simply filtering everything through your own experience, life lessons and worldview and believing that it is the best way, with no possibility that there is a better way to interpret your circumstances.  Naturally, you can imagine what comes next…

My Loves, no one…NO ONE will ever be able to interpret your life better than God, because he sees the full picture.  He’s seen what you’ve done, He knows what you think, and He knows the best way for every decision, judgement, or choice you could ever make.  The person who lays down what (s)he thinks (s)he knows and instead defers to what the Word of God says is the humblest of all people.  And the Word says that He will lift you up.  A better hand up could never be offered.

Love, 

Photo © Dana Rothstein | Dreamstime.com