Love and Arrogance
Like envy and boasting, arrogance doesn’t mix with love either.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant . . .
1 Corinthians 13:4 (ESV)
Arrogance comes from a faulty conviction that fundamentally believes life operates strongly in favor of assertive people.
They might pretend to be altruistic and interested in the opinions of others, but behind the facade, they don’t care what others think and will do whatever it takes to get ahead.
And once someone has established dominance, whether in a relationship, or at the head of an army, corporation, or government, and once they are sure they are safe from overt dissent, they then feel freer to display all the arrogance they want. After all haven’t their aggressive actions up now proven they know what they are talking about? Haven’t they now earned the right to be arrogant if they so choose? (The answer is No).
But what about tough love? Might that be a form of arrogance?
No question love is often required to be strong, resilient, and even tough, but this does not alter its core compassion. Love is selfless. Arrogance is prideful. Love connects people in open, honest, and fair ways. Arrogance dominates and so separates people from each other.
Through love, differences stop blocking relationships. In fact, it is a good thing we are all unique. It means together, because of our different strengths, we can do more through cooperation than individually to improve both our own lives and the lives of others.
Finally, think about this as it relates to God whom we are told is the embodiment of love. Without love, God would not be interested in the weak and lost; and when we think he is or might be, we are projecting on God what we humans would think and do. Thankfully God’s thoughts are much higher than ours.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)
