I'm Skilled in the Art of Eating Crow

Of all of the contemptible traits I see in other people, arrogance ranks among the highest, in my opinion.  I've always secretly delighted in seeing prideful people get a big dose of humility.  That's wrong, isn't it?  (Yes.)  As I get older, and allegedly wiser, something has occurred to me...

I'm one of them.

I've tried compensating for my pride with overt self-deprecation.  That doesn't work.  I've channeled my energies into finding things about which I should and can feel insecure, but deep within me, there's just a big belly (literally) full of self-righteousness.  It's a self-love that's the exact polar opposite of humility.  It's the belief that I have anything to do with my successes at all in the first place.  (Wrong.)

On thinking back to my high school, teenaged, naive self, I remember a ridiculous air of haughtiness and the presence of an outward holier-than-thou syndrome.  Over time, I learned to temper the forthrightness, and I feel that I've been moderately successful in developing some tact.  Tact is important to me.

Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy. ~Howard Newton

That aside, as I've grown older, I've also learned that life is one big lesson in humility.  I have been "100% sure" about a lot of things, only to eat crow later in life.  And not necessarily even a lot later.  I've scoffed at a lot of things that now apply to myself - like having a large family, breastfeeding, being a stay-at-home mom, making your own baby food, "wasting" one's college education, using Pilates and Yoga as a legitimate workout, and the list goes on...

I am confident that 2012 will afford me some more opportunities to Eat Crow.  Maybe even a big, fat, in-your-face opportunity that's on my heart at this moment.  This year, though, I'm going to do it with grace and humility.  I will accept that I was wrong, and move on.  I will not label myself "hypocrite".  I hope others will follow suit.  I don't like being called names.  Not by myself or anyone else.
 
In light of the sermon on Wednesday night by our teaching pastor, I will welcome these obstacles as an opportunity for God to move.

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." ~1 Peter 5:5

And piggybacking on teen-sensation, Justin Bieber's hit movie/song:

I will never say never.