Beware of Pride

“Pride is pleasure arising from a man's thinking too highly of himself.” - Baruch Spinoza

We all do need to have a reasonable amount of pride in order to have a good self esteem. However, having too much pride can cause us to be full of ourselves, self-centred and become arrogant.

"Who never admits wrong loves pride more than facts. He is lifeless who is faultless."

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." - Proverbs 11:2

The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV) -

"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.'"

A healthy dose of pride does have its value because it fuels pursuits. It pushes us to achieve academic, job-related or personal goals. However, don't allow pride to ruin you.

"Glory is a poison that can only be taken in small doses."

“Glory ought to be the consequence, not the motive of our actions”

The fine line is between confidence and arrogance. What do you think?

Photo by ThE~uNiQuE taken from this source

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Avoid making comparison with others

In this world, everybody play an important role.

There is a reason for everything. Have you wonder what will happen when everybody become doctors, professors, engineers, or businessmen? Where do you get your food if nobody is willing to do the planting? Who will then serve you in restaurant? Who will then wash the public toilet or collect the garbage?

“If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself” - Max Ehrman

Take a look at the story below:

Crackpot

A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments for which it was made, but the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what the cracked pot perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes my water to leak out all the way back to your house." The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

Have a great day, accept people for the way they are.

(Source: Internet; Author Unknown)

"Learning to accept yourself and others is a vital component of strengthening our communities and changing the world for the better." - Gypsy Lerey

Photo 1 by momentito taken from this source
Photo 2 by nofrills taken from this source

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Learn to be Humble At All Times

“Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.” - Anton Chekhov

“Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.” - John Wooden

Let's take a look at this story that illustrate this point:

The Professor and the Oarsman

One day, a professor was conducting a study at sea. He went out to sea in a 'sampan' with an oarsman. The oarsman job is to row the 'sampan'. The oarsman was an old and quiet man. This was fine with the professor as he did not want any disturbance while he did his work.

For many hours, the professor examined water specimens from the sea and wrote down notes in his book. The oarsman looked up to the sky and thought to himself, "Hmm... It looks like it's going to rain". Finally, when the professor had completed his work, he said, "Okay, let's get back to the shore". Only during the journey back did the professor speak to the oarsman.

"How long have you been rowing boats?" asked the professor. "Almost all my life", replied the oarsman. "Your whole life? So you don't know anything else besides rowing boats?" asked the professor. The oarsman just shook his head from side to side.

"Do you know geography?" asked the professor. The oarsman shook his head quietly. "In that case, you have lost 25 percent of your life,"said the professor.

"Do you know biology?" The oarsman shook his head. "You poor soul. You have lost 50 percent of your life.

Do you know physics?" Again, the oarsman simply shook his head. "How pitiful, you have lost 75 percent of your life then, you are so unfortunate; you don't know anything. You have wasted your whole life just rowing boats," said the professor arrogantly. The oarsman just kept quiet.

A few minutes later, it started to rain. Suddenly a huge wave swept the 'sampan' and overturned it. The professor and the oarsman were thrown into the sea.

Now, the oarsman asked the professor, "By the way, do you know how to swim?". The professor shook his head. "In that case, you have lost 100 percent of your life!!," cried the oarsman as he swam to the shore.

The moral of this story is:

It is no use having a high I.Q. or intelligence, if you do not know the more important things in life.

Someone may seem stupid in something that has nothing to do with his career or life. But he is a master in his line of work. So, do not look down on others just because they seem ignorant or stupid, because they may in fact be more successful than us.

“The more a person analyzes his inner self, the more insignificant he seems to himself. This is the first lesson of wisdom. Let us be humble, and we will become wise. Let us know our weakness, and it will give us power.” - William Ellery Channing

Let's acknowledge each individual person is very important. Each person has tremendous potential! Do you agree?

(Source of this story: Internet; Author Unknown)

Photo by The Outsider taken from this source

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Be Humble

Those never admits wrong loves pride more than facts.

The Bible tell us in Proverbs 16:18 (NKJV)
"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."

"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful." - John Wooden

Photo by fuzzbabble taken from this source