Every baseball coach has a list of things he hates. Here are a few of mine:
1. Laziness. There is nothing a player can do to get under my skin more than being lazy. Whether a player has skill or not, every player can work hard and do things right. There is no excuse for laziness.
2. Disrespect. I can’t find much excuse for this, either. Giving basic human dignity to coaches, teammates, parents, or whomever, is simply expected. Disrespect in attitude, action, or speech is unacceptable.
3. Excuses. Losers make excuses. Period. I’ve done it. You’ve done it. We’re all guilty. And, we all hate it. Don’t make excuses. Get better.
I could go on, but you get the point. Every coach has something he hates. But, did you realize there are also things that God hates?
Proverbs 6:16-19 gives us a list. Interestingly, the first listed is “arrogant eyes.” God hates pride. Hates it. Pride distances us from God, as we begin to depend on ourselves. It distances us from others, as we compare ourselves to others and believe we are better. Pride blinds us to our own faults, making us believer we are perfect. Pride makes us critical of others. It’s no wonder that God hates it…Pride destroys us and God doesn’t want us destroyed.
The antidote to pride is truth. Truth shows us our standing apart from Jesus. Truth shows us that none of us is better than another. Truth leads us to dependence on God and love for others. God hates pride, but He loves truth. Which will guide you?
Here’s a prayer:
Lord Jesus, I’m human. Therefore, I struggle with pride. I know you hate pride, but you love me, so show me your truth. Destroy the pride in me that threatens to destroy me. Fill me with truth, with love for you and love for others. Amen.
