Think Hard, Stay Humble: The Life of the Mind and the Peril of Pride

Think Hard, Stay Humble: The Life of the Mind and the Peril of Pride

I just listened to this preach today. This is really powerful message. It is about an hour preach but I highly recommend you to listen to this and then read my thought. I would like to hear what your thought and what you are challenged about.

So this is my thought and prayer.

 First, I was challenged to think how hard I think about people. I thought about people who knows Christ, my brothers&sisters in Christ, people who does not know Christ, my family, my friends & strangers.

 Last night I had a long conversation with my oldest sister & my third older sister(She was with me) on skype. We ended up with talking about our mother and how much we got hurt by her. As we kept talking and sharing our hearts, I could see they are still suffering and hurting by what our mother has done or said to them. Well, I have been knowing their sufferings and pain for a long time. I was listening to them very carefully and asking God to allow me to share my story. I shared with them how much I got hurt and how I suffered because of mother. As they did not know the whole story of my life, they got shocked. But the point was not really how much I got hurt or suffered. I wanted to tell them how I was able to be free from the burden that I had been carrying for a long time, because I do want them to be free from their burdens. They told me that it will never change. I know the pain. I told them that since I came to Christ, I started leaning about the true love and forgiveness. Knowing that there is God who loves me so much and knows everything about me changed my life. I could not forgive right away but I did and also Jesus allowed me to see my sins and to ask my mom to forgive me. My oldest sister asked me if the pain I got from mother still affects my relationship with others. I told her that it does but that's why everyday I am able to thank Jesus for loving me and for existing in my life. We also talked about how we can show our love and how much we care for.

 So since I had this conversation with my sisters, while I was listening to this preach, I thought about my family and asked myself how hard I really think about my family. I do love them. I care for them. I pray for them. But question is how harder can I think about them? Then I asked myself how about my brothers & sisters in Christ? My friends who does not know Christ? Strangers??

 Second, I was challenged to think how I am doing with building up other people.

To be honest, while I was listening to what Francis Chan(Preacher) is talking about some Christians who hurts other brothers&sisters according to 1 Corinthians 8:12-13,

"When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall" I was thinking about someone who is hurting me and I was praying that the person would know this. Soon enough, I had to ask myself. How about me? How have I been doing with building up other people? Am I loving them? Am I encouraging them? I wish I could say I am doing well but I am not.  I need to think hard about this. 

I really liked what Francis Chan shared.

"Knowledge is essential, but it's not sufficient" 
"Humility is about thinking about others and considering others more important than ourselves"

1 Corinthians 13:2
"If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing"

Hebrews 13:2
"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the opportunity to share my story with my sisters.Thank you for your word.

Thank you for knowing what I need to hear.

Thank you for challenging my faith & love.

Lord,

Please continue to allow me to share your word and love with my family.

Please help me to think hard and to stay humble.

Please help me to love others in the same way you love.

Please help me to build up others.

Please help me to imitate Jesus each day.

In your precious name I pray,
Amen.