The Bane of Arrogance

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Arrogance. Yep, what none of us have. Take me for example: humble, honest and willing to grow. That is until I bombed ANOTHER writing contest.

As I judged the Carol Awards, I tried to offer constructive criticism. After all, if a writer (or anyone) wants to grow, she needs to see her weaknesses. But applied to me? My writing, is award-winning. Ask my mother.

It took me a week to look at the score sheets from the Novel Rocket contest. And what did I discover? Genuine weak spots, which once corrected took me a step closer to making my writing something people other than my daughter would read.

How can arrogance ruin you?

1. You don't see how your writing (or any other skill) can improve. And actually be read by someone other than your husband/wife/significant (read forced to love you) other.
2. Makes you unloveable. We've all met conceited people (no one like us), and to a person, they aggravate us and turn us off to their way of thinking.
3. Ruins your life. Truth is truth. And if we're not willing to face it, our flaws will only grow.
4. Ruins your life. (Yeah, I said that already). If you are arrogant, you will feel miserable when someone necessarily points out your weaknesses.

Eventually, I went through the critiques. And read the entire email. Turns out one entry was solidly good. I was told the judges believed it deserved more than a "too bad, so sad" email. The judges said they would see that book on the shelves.

As for my other work? All criticism was spot-on. I heeded the words...and some day, you will read that book, too.

Don't feel miserable--how can you shed arrogance?

Blind Leading Blind Bartimaeus

Mike Huckabee offended an acquaintance of mine. She sent out a mass email, and thus I learned about the offense. Huckabee reiterated his stand against same-sex marriage. Huckabee said when we decide which lifestyles should be accepted by society, we create a slippery slope. "Why do you get to choose that two men are OK but one man and three women aren't OK?" By moving to a greater inclusiveness, we open the doors to acts we consider more reprehensible. If one man and three women are okay, why not a woman and a dog? A man and a child?

My two examples repulse nearly everyone right now, just as homosexuality and polygamy once repulsed our society. However, we do have groups who believe men and young boys as well as bestiality.

Liberals strike out to silence Christians who say, with Huckabee, that it is "crucial" we don't "legitimize immorality." We sound like prigs when we state marriage is between a man and a woman and when we agree with Huckabee that '(marriage) has never meant two men, two women, a man and his pet, or a man and a whole herd of pets."

In Luke 18:35-43, we read about blind Bartimaeus. He knows Jesus is in the area and he cries out to Him."Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet..."

How many "leaders" tell us to be quiet? If I say a lesbian relationship is immoral, I'm branded as a close minded, cruel person--not one with morals. We need to be like Bartimaeus, when told to be quiet, this blind man "...shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

What was the end result of Bartimaeus' cries? "Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied. Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God."

If we refuse to be quiet about truth, others, too, may receive sight and like the multitude surrounding the blind man, praise God for the truth.