Humility

How can confidence keep from becoming arrogance? In the last post, I talked about the aura of confidence that seems to engulf those who trust in God. The irony of it is that with this confidence, if we are honest, there is also a certainty that this peace within has nothing to do with us and that it is, not to put too fine a point on it, not deserved. If it comes from God, why does it come to us? I know I am not worthy of this grace in the most painfully real way. I presume anyone else who feels this peace has a similar feeling. "Why me, Lord? You know who I am."

Oh, yeah. Now I remember. Thank you, Jesus.

Confidence

To most who know me, I appear confident and self assured. It is something I was born with. Some people think it a great mask. I was born with some of it, but it also might have been a mask sometimes, but it isn't now. It is not me, either. It's something else. I think it is the confidence that comes from knowing that Christ is with me...always...until the end of the Age. When Peter encourages us to "be ready to give and account for the hope that is in you in Jesus Christ", he was referring, I believe, to the confidence I feel.

I do feel blessed and attended to often. Things do not all go well, but I don't worry or agitate. I just come back the next day and try again. This sounds like a virtue, but it seems like a central character trait about which I have never had control. It just works for me, without my effort, really. I thank God for this blessing. Its source is this hope given to me by my relationship with Jesus Christ.

Feigning confidence is everywhere. You see it most pitifully in the young who are trying to be tough and feign a "not caring" attitude about anything threatening or dangerous. They even say it, frequently, "I don't care." They do care of course. Their bravado is a facade. Their confidence doesn't come from courage as much as they would like it to. It comes from fear. The tangible presence of God is much more powerful. Somehow we need to get the word out.