A Plea for Humility
In so much of the news and public life today, humility seems to be in short supply. Hubris and cruelty are not.
“It’s remarkable how often ambition becomes cruelty. In our self-delusion, we persuade ourselves that we’re not just right but that we’re so clearly right that opposition has to be rooted in arrogance and evil.”
These words from David French come at a time when we really need them. For many people, the story of Christmas is little more than a cultural touchstone. For others, it is a foundational narrative for their spiritual lives. However you parse it, please know this: The narrative is all about humility.
An all-powerful God takes the form of a vulnerable human infant to redeem humanity – knowing that he will not be welcome in this harsh and cruel world. No matter. His purpose is clear.
No Shortage of Hubris
We look around and we see hubris everywhere. We hear people speak with confidence about how they “could solve the obesity and diabetes epidemic overnight.” Hint: It’s all about telling people what to eat and hubris about a righteous prescription. We see relentless bombing that lays whole communities to waste. Mostly innocent people die. Hubris allows people to rationalize it, to tell the world that the people they condemn are the problem.
Hubris allows us to navigate this harsh world, but it also stains us. Every one of us.
This is why we need the grace that comes with the story of this day. Embrace it.
Click here for free access to French’s essay on cruelty, hubris, and grace. For further insight on hubris, click here and here. Finally, for insight on finding grace, click here.
The Holy Family, painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner / WikiArt
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December 25, 2024
December 25, 2024 at 10:15 am, David Brown said:
“Here’s a question I hear everywhere I go, including from fellow Christians: Why are so many Christians so cruel?”
If you ask enough people why they embrace or reject Christianity, the answer is the same. It is because of the way Christians behave. Perhaps, then, it is oxymoronic to label someone a cruel Christian, especially given the fact that the Bible says, “What is desired in a man is his kindness.” Proverbs 19:22. That said, we humans are emotional creatures. Our biochemistry affects our emotions and, thus our behaviors. We also speculate about what motivates others drawing conclusions as to cause and effect.