"Pride is the deadliest of the Seven Deadly Sins. Ask the Lord to humble you."
So say some clerics and others among the wise.
Now let's pause and ask, what do we generally associate with being
humbled? Some great loss or series of losses that puts our pride in the
dust? Tell the truth, y'all. How many of us think that's what humbling
means?
Personally, my greatest humbling comes with the realization,
sinking in below the neck, that I really am LOVED. My dear wife actually
believes I really rock and acts
accordingly. And when someone 'with skin', to use a four-year-old's
expression, loves you and yet knows your imperfections--when this is
truly a love between equals--I know of nothing more humbling than that
to anyone with half a conscience. And God's love for us becomes all the
plainer thereby as well. For many of us who are Christians, realizing
the depths of God's Love in Jesus brings forth such a humbled mindset.
At least I think it ought to. And this is what the breaking of
patriarchy can lead to more of: love between equals.
Love between
us and animals and/or children is a great and good thing too, but it's
not between equals. And no reader of mine who is a parent cannot know
how quickly the worshipful expression in a small child's eyes becomes
the skeptical look of a pre-teen and then the mixed looks of teenagers.
There's a lot to go through before THAT'S between adults more or less,
not so? That is, for those who can reach that point.
I have to
wonder: is this something of which patriarchy's defenders are deathly
afraid? Do they disbelieve in such love to the extent that they'll die
with their false prides (and likely take most of us with them) rather
than open themselves to such love? Maybe this is really the heart of the
question, but anyone with different ideas is more than welcome to say
otherwise. Just argue civilly and to the point; that's all I ask.
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