Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. – Galatians 5:26

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 21, 2018): Galatians 5

C. S. Lewis reminds us that “If a man thinks he is not conceited, he is very conceited indeed.” Rather, the reality is that we need to recognize that we all react to this world with at least a measure of conceit, this idea that we are the best. Sometimes, our psyches may even declare a level of conceit necessary to help us keep our self-images above water. Our sense of worth seems to require that we are conceited in at least some area of our lives.

The problem is that for any community, conceit is the beginning of death. Conceit declares that I don’t need you, and for a church, that is a dangerous belief. The idea of what it is that I am good at is something that I have spent the last few weeks questioning. And my solution might not be all that encouraging because it doesn’t matter what it is at which I excel. I don’t mean that the way it sounds. I know that I have strengths and weakness, and I believe that it is better for me to spend time working on my strengths than it is to try to improve my weaknesses. The math for me works out like this; if I try to strengthen where I am already strong, it might be that one day I can excel at something. But working to improve where I am weak, at best, allows me to be average in that area. So isn’t it better to work at something at which I might be able to excel?

But the pushback is found in this; it is not better to excel if I become conceited in the process because while excelling at something might have postives for the community, conceit tears at the very fabric of the idea of sharing our lives with each other. C. S. Lewis’s statement is not that we should all just recognize that conceit is part of life, but rather recognize that the idea that “I am better than ____ at _____” is something at which we all have to battle. This is our holy war. It doesn’t matter if I am better, or if I am worse. I am me, and God has given all of the me’s purpose in this world. He also values all of the me’s. I am no more or less important than you. There is no need for me to prove my worth, or for me to envy who it is you are. In Christ, we are one.

And the pushback of Christ, the reaction to all of our situations, is love. Conceit, thinking that I am better, and envy, thinking that I am worse, are always blockages to love. Always.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Galatians 6