THE CURSE

THE CURSE

                “… you will be like God…” is the cursed lie the Accuser whispered to our mother.  Such brilliance!  Such ignorance.  He knew his own armor chink, his own weakness, his own achillean heel.  And, he went after the new pair with the same appeal.  He who would be like God, fell and dragged down with himself all the sons and daughters of God, through their mother, by appealing to her vanity.  Pride in the heart of Lucifer engendered the heavenly rebellion that resulted in the expulsion and condemnation of the demon horde.  But, they turned their rage upon the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve.  He knew the strength of his weakness; and, he used it to curse us all.

                Today I was told to clean up, on straight time, the left-overs of “the man” – the skilled welder – who attempted to “save the day” by patching the leaking caustic line on the side of the kraft digester, under pressure?!  Unsafe?  Heroic? Profitable (OT pay)?!  And, now I am dragging down from the catwalk equipment, materials, chemical suits … all of this left laying scattered around on OT!  I began to mutter to myself, “I have a job… I AM paid well … I CAN do this … I CANNOT do that … I probably WOULD not do that job …”  So, in humility and gratitude, I kept on, “working as unto the Lord” and even tried to reach a 5S standard of clean-up, of somebody else’s mess!  And, I hate even cleaning up my OWN mess.

                The Snake was hissing in my ear.  He wanted me to swell up and drag my feet.  But, I swallowed my pride, and lifted my head to hear the Spirit’s whisper of blessing.  The angels came and sang to my heart!  It was not going to happen, today!  “… get behind me, Satan …” was my smiling retort, this time.  Sometimes I puff up at the old adder.  And, then he smiles.

Pride is so subtle.  When you think you have achieved humility, you probably just lost it?!  Beauty can be a curse.  Evil men, possessed by the Evil One, often make slaves out the beauties.  When I compliment my granddaughter on her beautiful head of hair, my daughter is quick to remind us that it is inner beauty that matters.  Why do they call it a “vanity mirror”?!  But, the source of self-adulation can be skill, brains, even spirituality?!  One can be proud that he is spiritually “weird”; and, the Lord may deem it necessary to bless one with a “thorn in the flesh”.  We are encouraged to “think of others as better than ourselves.”

2 Corinthians 12:7 (RSV)  And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated.

Philippians 2:3 (GNT)  Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than yourselves.

Romans 12:16 (MSG)  Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.

1 Corinthians 4:7 (KJV)  For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive ? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory , as if thou hadst not received it?

1 Corinthians 4:7 (MSG)  For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn't everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what's the point of all this comparing and competing?