When Haughtiness Trumps Character

When our kids were little we loved using Susan Hunt’s My ABC Bible Verses book to teach scripture and communicate God’s truths.  Each verse, beginning with a different letter of the alphabet, was followed by a devotional story about ‘Missy’ and ‘Bill’ to help the kids identify and understand what the verse meant.

These lessons helped shape our children’s earliest view of their sin and need of Jesus because even as young children they could see how they failed to abide by God’s word and therefore needed His rescuing mercy and grace. Some such verses were…

“A soft answer turns away wrath.” Proverbs 15: 1

“Blessed are the peacemakers...” Matthew 5:9

“Children, obey your parents in all things…” Colossians 3:20

“Keep your tongue from evil.” Psalm 34:13

And so we talked about what it means to be a peacemaker verses a troublemaker. We talked about obedience being first-time obedience, not obedience after counting to three. We talked alot about speaking only what is kind and uplifting, not words tearing others down. We still do.

At the dinner table now we hear often about someone who verbally said or stated on social media something demeaning, rude, dismissive or inappropriate. We talk about how it makes the one on the receiving end feel and the motives behind why someone may have used such words. Sometimes my kids are the ones left feeling humiliated, judged, misunderstood, alone or less than.  And sometimes they are the ones who need to confess and repent for leading another to feel this way. Either way, for good or bad, the power of our words is clear.

At our table we seek to root these conversations in the gospel so we see our need of forgiveness and grace and the Lord’s strength and work within us.  But one need not be a believer in Christ to adhere to these same principles of treating others with dignity and respect and extending goodwill and love to our neighbors. And this is why I am so miffed by the support of Donald Trump.

• Does our desire for America to be great again trump all else?
• Do we really want a leader so full of himself and quick to condemn representing our country to the world?
• Do we think, as he seems to, that wealth entitles him and perhaps us, too, to do as he/we please with irregard to how it makes another feel?
• Are we not bothered by his insensitivity and insults slung at other fellow human beings?
• Why are we laughing at his bullying, name-calling and derogatory speech?
• Is this what we would teach our kids? Or want for them to emulate?

I think not. Raising kids in the ego-centric, self-centered, me-first mindset of our culture is a constant uphill battle. And sadly haughtiness over character is what we will collectively affirm to our kids and to the world should Trump become our next president.

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:43-45