Lewis: pride is the obstacle

Monday, February 15, 2016
    Commemoration of Thomas Bray, Priest, Founder of SPCK, 1730
Meditation:
He hath shewed strength with his arm;
    he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats,
    and exalted them of low degree.
He hath filled the hungry with good things;
    and the rich he hath sent empty away.
    —Luke 1:51-53 (KJV)
Quotation:
    Don’t imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call “humble” nowadays: he won’t be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who’s always telling you that, of course, he’s nobody. Probably all you’ll think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him, it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility; he won’t be thinking about himself at all. There I must stop. If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you’re not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.
    ... C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), Christian Behavior, London: Geoffrey Bles, Macmillan, 1943, p. 49 (see the book)
    See also Luke 1:51-53; Pr. 13:10; Matt. 5:6; Mark 12:38-40
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, drive my pride away. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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