The second ruinous attitude is arrogance. What is arrogance? It is having a puffy image of one’s self. Arrogant people have an inflated sense of self-importance. They behave in a condescending manner towards others and tend to believe that they are superior to others. Several factors cost Donald Trump re-election in 2020. Among these was the ravaging Covid-19 pandemic and the toll it had on the economy. His divisive, combative style of leadership was another factor. One that particularly had a damaging effect was his handling of race relations and his romance with the PROUD BOYS, a white supremacist group. Whenever an individual or group of individuals believe that they are better than others, they are setting themselves up for disgrace.
“Whenever an individual or group of individuals believe that they are better than others, they are setting themselves up for disgrace.”
Jesus gave a parable of two men who went to pray in the temple – a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee prayed with his self acclaimed righteousness. He took pride in his works, thinking that would earn him credit before God. He became so condescending when He told God that he was not like the other people, not the least the tax collector. On the other hand, the tax collector had no claim to works of righteousness. He admitted his sinful nature and begged God for mercy. Ironically, he was the one who went back home justified. The moral of the parable is the need to be humble in life and not think of being superior to others.