Title: Have a Secret Pride
2 Corinthians (3) Have secret pride (2 Corinthians 1:12-14)
<True Pride>
Man cannot live without pride. There is true pride in boasting, and there is false boasting. In the end, having the right things to brag about is more important than having something to brag about. False boasting later becomes a tool to drive yourself mad. Saints should be proud of what they are proud of. What should I be proud of?
First, boast in what you walk in holiness and truth (v. 12). Holiness and sincerity mean purity of motives, so they are usually measured by time. “How long have you been in your job?” is more important than “what kind of job have you been in?”, and living a righteous life is more important than getting into a career. Also, it is better to show unwavering faithfulness at home and in church than to fast and pray for several days on the mountain. Anyone can do good things once or twice, but the important thing is to keep doing good things.
Second, boast in what you do by God's grace (verse 12). A life of grace is a life of sacrifice and dedication. Sacrifice and devotion are hearts that do not expect a reward. The number one cause of noise in society is the desire for compensation. Don't forget the plain truth that more rewards are given to those who have abandoned their desire for rewards. Also, a life of grace is a life of gratitude. In the end, to live a happy life, two doors must be opened. One is the door of sacrifice, and the other is the eye of gratitude. The fact that those two doors are open is a real pride.
Always be proud of God's grace, and let your 'deep relationship with the Lord' be more proud of you than 'having your own power'. The disciples of Jesus returned after preaching the gospel and boasted. "Lord! I ordered, and the demon ran away. He laid his hands on him and prayed, and he was healed.” Then Jesus said “Do not rejoice that the demons surrender to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). The thing to be truly proud of is not 'doing one's ability', but 'living with grace'.
Third, boast in the secrets of which conscience approves (verse 12). The pride recognized by one's conscience is real pride. Even if everyone else praises me, if my conscience says, “You are the one to kill!”, I will kill you. Conversely, even if everyone else thinks that you are bad, you are proud if your conscience acknowledges you and says that you are right. A person with secret pride recognized by his conscience can lead a proud and confident life.
<Have a secret pride>
One day, at a party, a man joked that the bank president's wife's necklace was strange. "wife! The necklace is beautiful, but it looks like a fake.” Then the woman laughed and said, "Yeah. I have a real $3500, but I can’t hang it because it’s a waste. Instead, when I go out, I hang the same fake.” How painful would it be to say, “Is it a counterfeit?” if the woman had not been genuine. For those who don't have, such a joke hurts a lot.
Have a secret brag. Then you will have no hesitation in anything. It doesn't hurt to say that someone with their eyes is blind, but it's a big disrespect to someone who has closed their eyes and says they are blind. “Why are you acting so ignorant? It doesn't really matter if I say, "Study a little more." But to an ignorant person, "Why are you acting so ignorant?" Study a little more.” He becomes a lifelong enemy.
Finally, “Are you ignorant? isn't it? Are you rich? Isn't it?" rather than "Is there any secret boasting?" Isn't it?" is important. No matter what anyone says, there is no problem as long as your stomach is full. A cart full of loads does not make a sound. People who are internally faithful and proud of themselves do not have problems larger than reality and are not easily hurt.
Let go of comparison. The people of the fortress do not even know they exist because their hearts are filled with a sense of comparison and a desire to compete. What should I do to confirm my existence? Secret pride like hidden treasure should be in you. Living with a shallow heart that wants others to know will make you cramped. A healthy person is a person who has his own secret pride.