To those of you on our Mānoa Weekly email list, my apologies for not getting that out to you! No, I’m not “getting old!” LOL! I just had a busy week and forgot! No excuses 🙂 Speaking of excuses, have you ever caught yourself making an excuse for a decision or situation just to cover for yourself? I have. My pride can get the better of me when I don’t want to appear dumb, weak, or negligent.
I remember when this picture was taken, sparring with a young guy about 10 years ago, back when I was in my 50’s. He was a little bigger, in his early 20’s, and had way more boxing experience. Honestly, he outclassed me—faster, stronger, more skilled. After that first round, I was frustrated and started running all kinds of excuses through my head for why I wasn’t doing better. The last thing I wanted was to just hang in there for the next two rounds and look bad. My pride kicked in fast, and the excuses started flowing.
Pride has a sneaky way of creeping into our hearts and minds. Lately, I’ve been reminded not to fall into that trap, whether it’s forgetting something, dropping the ball on a responsibility, or just being mentally or emotionally drained. When we mess up, it’s easy to cover it with excuses. But maybe it’s worth asking: What’s really keeping me from just owning it? Is it pride? Fear? What am I allowing to shape my response?
“Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
Proverbs 11:2 NLT
Instead of trying to prove myself or letting pride cover up my insecurities and shortcomings, I’m learning to ask God for help to walk in humility. Humility really is a kind of superpower—it beats pride every time. I’d much rather choose to live an honorable life, doing good, walking humbly, and living in a way that pleases the Lord my God.
“If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.”
James 3:13 NLT
