Pride, Pride

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. I John 2:15,16

‘“What if I could create my own future?”

Rushing through the corridors

of an international airport,

people coming off a plane,

arriving at their destination;

people getting on the next plane,

a destination between destinations,

people passing through,

people passing each other,

people passing…

Each one passes this billboard,

at the bottom of the escalator,

(the slow descent allows time to look)

at the end of a long corridor,

(you must go this way to pass customs)

at the bus stop and taxi stand,

(knowing you’ll be planning, while you wait).

The question is presented.

The challenge is suggested.

The tease is offered.

“What if I could create my own future?”

Why not?

I’m capable!

What’s to stop me?

It’s just a matter of purpose,

planning,

performance,

and then, the payoff!

Why should I accept second best,

second hand,

second place?

Hey!

You only go ‘round once!

You don’t get a second chance on this “merry-go-round”!

Life is there for the living!

The toys are there for the taking!

Life is what you make of it,

and I know I’ve got what it takes!

Yes, you do.

Passion.

Passion perceived.

Passion pursued.

Passion purchased…

begets more passion.

Passions. Satisfying each new desire,

enjoying each new pleasure,

indulging each new craving,

only leads to needing more

to excite you the next time

and feel the exhilaration again

of a bigger thrill,

a kick that last longer,

a hotter fire!

And, you don’t even realize that you burn!

You slowly burn your senses,

until you no longer feel

the Fire!

You slowly sear your conscience,

until you no longer sense

the Warnings!

Such is the way of lust.

The lust of the flesh.

And yes…you’ve got what it takes.

Possession.

Possession perceived.

Possession pursued.

Possession purchased…

begets more possessions.

Possessions. Yielding to envy,

gratifying the need,

glorifying the want,

grasping the prize,

only leads to wanting more

to make you be more successful

and feel more secure

in a better job,

in a nicer car,

in a newer home,

in a bigger wardrobe!

And, you don’t even realize that you build!

You slowly build your pile of prizes,

thinking you’ll no longer feel

the Emptiness!

You slowly construct your tower of treasures,

thinking you’ll no longer sense

the Wanting!

You are so consumed with the building,

that you don’t even realize,

the things you must possess

(because you cannot resist their shine)

pile higher and higher around you,

blocking any glimpse

of what lies beyond this world.

Could you see,

you would see,

the shiny things you grasp

are only dull and gray

compared to what lies beyond your piles.

Such is the way of lust.

The lust of the eyes.

And yes…you’ve got what it takes.

Pride.

Pride pampered.

Pride paraded.

Pride pardoned…

begets more pride.

Pride. Lifting yourself up before others,

boasting about “the game,”

bragging about “the score,”

blowing up “the win,”

only leads to pushing more

to get the best before the rest of them

and feel more important

as the expert in every situation,

as the unbeatable competition,

as the proven success!

And, you don’t even realize that you barricade!

You slowly barricade others away from you,

bulldozing their plans,

banishing their suggestions,

belittling their accomplishments,

thinking you’ll no longer have to endure

the Futility!

You slowly blockade yourself up high above others,

scorning the attempts to care,

ridiculing the attempts to converse,

rejecting the attempts to convince,

thinking you’ll no longer have to face

the Foolishness!

You are above their level!

Yes, you have lifted yourself up high above,

so that now you are beyond them,

beyond their touch,

beyond their tears,

beyond their tenderness,

beyond the very ones who would be

your companions!

Such is the way of pride.

The boastful pride of life.

And yes…you’ve got what it takes.

So do I.

So do we all.

Without God, we are but human,

in the midst of all this world continues to offer.

Without God, we will surely fail and fall.

With God, we may still fail and fall.

Because, yes…we have what it takes.

An enemy.

One who hates us.

One who seeks to make us fail and fall.

Satan.

The prince of the power of the air,

temporarily given permission

to move throughout this earth

and entice men and women to believe

that all we want,

is in our power to have!

He writes billboards.

He sells billboards.

He places billboards

where the message won’t be missed,

in our airports,

along our roadways,

in our newspapers and magazines,

on our televisions,

in our schools,

on the walls where we work

and play,

and eat,

and live.

Simple messages.

Subtle messages.

“What if I could create my own future?”’

Used with permission from imageministries.com. The Other Side of Silence by Linda Azema

Wow! We live in a society that offers anything we want anytime we want it. We can all jump into this!

Fight the good fight—Vertical focus, not horizontal.