The truest characters of ignorance are vanity, pride and arrogance. ~Samuel Butler
Love is not arrogant or rude.
I scroll down the heated comment thread, responses to an online article I’ve just read. My mind reels from the openly arrogant, vicious replies addressed to any whose opinion dares to differ.
Who are these people? Are they even real?
I picture the commenters in a line-up, a motley, intolerant bunch, fingers stuck deep in their ears as they scream at a blank wall. For some reason they’ve embraced an all-too-common cartoon version of themselves–an ugly counterfeit designed in hell.
I admit I’m tempted to join in.
I grab car keys and run my errands. The bagger at the grocery store smiles and endorses my shopping choices. A courteous teen holds open a door. A respectful Apple-store genius listens to my low-tech questions, and humbly offers his thoughts.
Who are these people? Are they real?
Yes, whether they know it yet or not. Embracing their true humanity, patterned after God’s own image, they look at life through heaven-made eyes.
But arrogant eyes won’t see it, a rude-shaped heart will miss God’s whisper, Return to me, embrace your truest self.
Blaise Pascal: What Is Hidden To The Rude And Arrogant
If God had wished to overcome the obstinacy of the most hardened, he could have done so by revealing himself to them so plainly that they could not doubt the truth of his essence, as he will appear on the last day with such thunder and lightning and such convulsions of nature that the dead will rise up and the blindest will see him.
This is not the way he wished to appear when he came in mildness because so many had shown themselves unworthy of his clemency that he wished to deprive them of the good they did not desire. It was therefore not right that he should appear in a manner manifestly divine and absolutely capable of convincing everyone, but neither was it right that his coming should be so hidden that he could not be recognized by those who sincerely sought him. He wished to make himself perfectly recognizable to them.
Thus wishing to appear openly to those who seek him with all their heart and hidden from those who shun him with all their heart, he has qualified our knowledge of him by giving signs which can be seen by those who seek him and not by those who do not.
There is enough light for those who desire only to see, and enough darkness for those of a contrary disposition.
From, Pensées by Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) Also see Psalm 18:25-27.
Are you tempted by the arrogance of others to embrace a counterfeit version of you?
This is post five of our Lent To Love: A Return to the Source series on 1 Corinthians 13. Join us on the journey to Easter!
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