It's Friday!..And I'm in D.C.

...in love.

Summer Plans

Pride and Love and Faith

I've been thinking a lot lately about pride and faith--and how love is usually the casualty in the conflict between the two. At work I get to talk with people who disbelieve, because of pride. In my personal life I get to interact with people who believe, largely because of pride. I'm starting to think it is a rare one who believes in something independent of his/her desired perceptions from others. I think this world would be a happier place if we followed what was in our hearts, instead of worrying about praise or respect.

I read this in Mormon, chapter 8 this morning:

36 And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one, have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.

37 For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.

38 O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the holy church of God? Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ? Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an endless happiness than that misery which never dies—because of the praise of the world?

39 Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?

Mormon 8: 36-39

If we could separate ourselves from our pride I think we would be drawn to God and to each other by an inexplicable attractive-force. Faith won't be resisted. Love won't be forgotten nor need to be remembered. Marriage won't be begun too soon, nor ended too early. Careers won't supplant time given to those we love. Money won't be as important as honesty and inspiration. If we thought of ourselves exactly how we thought of everyone else, we would seek not our own nor waste a minute of our time or thinking (more than necessary) on ourselves.

The short of the long of it is, I wish there was less thinking about ourselves and more willingness to love and believe in God. Not believing because it allows us to be socially accepted or differentiated, but believing because we trust, we love and we feel it in our hearts. And that takes some work--and a lot of good art and prayer.

For the record, when I write like this, it is never to chasten anyone but myself. I too often forget the faith that moves me. I forget the love that fills me.