A brother offended is more unyielding
than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle. Prov. 18:19
The scent of
flowers was overpowering, and combined with the organ dirge, made Julie feel
like throwing up. Why couldn’t funeral music be lively? Maybe the Beatles or at
least a Polka. She shook her head against the crazy thoughts that were trying
to distract her from the pain. Oh, Lindsey. Baby sister, shadow, best friend
until the stupid fight. So stupid! Scenes from childhood danced through her
head: matching dresses, laughter, Christmas morning. She squeezed her eyelids
against the burning tears. Who cared who was right? Three years without
speaking. What were they thinking? But it was too late now.
How many
significant relationships have ended over something as silly as who said what
to whom? Who’s right; who’s wrong? Who cares? At the root of most cold wars is Pride.
Pride is a destroyer of relationships, putting up walls between two people and keeping
score. Pride convinces us that we’re on the “high road” when we’re really on
our “high horse.” Pride would rather die than humble itself, and many times it
takes a death before we realize how foolish we were. By then, it’s too late. When
we offend someone, or someone offends us, pride won’t let us ask forgiveness or
extend it to another. It waits for the other one to move first, and the cold
war begins.
You may be in the right, but Pride is a poor substitute for a
brother, a sister,
or peace.
.
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