Guarding Against Pride's Fall Through Community

Yesterday, I was in a conversation with a co-worked, friend and member of this group, and we were talking about the erosion of faith and integrity in our country and people in general. So, I got to digging and recalled an article I posted three years ago titled, “The ungrateful American”. The article was triggered by the outwardly vocal and seemingly ungrateful few soccer players on the US women’s team. While I’m not going to give anymore life to their attitudes, the article made some points about OUR, as Americans, declining integrity and growing pride. The kind of pride that can take down a person or a country as a whole. Most of us have heard at various times people say, “what this country needs is some more Jesus!” I said it again yesterday and I still 100% agree. But how do we get there?Well, when we become isolated from Christ and rely on our own pride and begin to take credit for our own successes, we are poised to fall. When we allow our foundation to weaken we are headed for failure. If you ignore erosion of your integrity, you will fall. If your competence and gifting outpace your integrity, you will fall. If the weight of your responsibilities and burdens is greater than your character, you will fall.But we can avoid all of this by surrounding ourselves with Christ and people of Christ. We must guard against this vulnerability. This is one of the many reasons the Bible tells us to stay connected to God’s people, to a local church. “Don’t neglect gathering together.” Are you guarding against that vulnerability, or are you at risk of falling? Are you living in a community that will encourage love and good works, or are you on the road to ruining your life?“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”Hebrews 10:24-25 Be Nice. Grace wins.