Pride vs Charity Journal Entry- The Red Headed Hostess

I have shown a similar journal entry like this before I switched over to my printed journals, so I had to re-do it in my new journals!!

Honestly, studying PRIDE and CHARITY side by side has absolutely impacted me.

It has been one of the great “ah-ha’s” in my life.  As I have struggled to overcome the oh too many elements of pride that I have, I have learned that when I hold it up to charity, I know what I need to do.

I have clarity.

So… the first thing I did was study the two.  I looked up scriptures and I read talks.

This talk must be read by everyone.  Perhaps monthly.

And then, because I am a ridiculously visual learner, I drew the this.

The girl on the left is my hero and my goal.

She is motivated by love and she sees everyone as Christ sees them and has His pure love for them.  Essentially, she desires Eternal Life for every single person who lives,  has lived or will live.

The girl on the right is motivated by pride.

She is in a constant quest to lift herself up above others.  She despises others and God and thinks that she is more important than them.

Now, these ladies are the extremes.

I find myself in both of them and my goal is to become less and less like the one on the right.  Essentially, to become like the one who has charity, it will take a lot of self-mastery and repentance.  You cannot become that without the Atonement and a LOT of personal accountability.

So – I drew these lovely ladies and then thought of as many characteristics I could that would come from such attitudes.

And let me just say…

I think THIS MAKES THE BEST DATING LESSON!

It emphasizes CHARACTER.  I mean, put these people on the board (but put boys if you are teaching girls), and ask them which one they would rather marry.

Give them scenarios like:

how would each person act if you wrecked the car?  How would they behave if they lost their job and life became financially stressful?  How would they treat you after a hard day at work?  etc…

Then ask them how you come to marry someone like the one on the left.

(You become that way yourself)

I think this could be such an interesting discussion to have with your family.

See what they come up with.

Here are some of the things on my list:

• Doesn’t seek her own gain at the expense of others
• Prays for Gifts of the Spirit so she can improve and serve others better
• Is not puffed up – she doesn’t try to appear to be more than what she is
• Is gentle with others
• Is not easily provoked or offended
• Uses persuasion, doesn’t command others
• Motivated by love to be better
• Her eye is single to the glory of God – not her own glory
• Submits to the Lord
• Is long-suffering
• Doesn’t boast of her own gifts
• Recognizes her talents and uses them to bless others
• Is kind
• Has pure intentions
• Has endless potential
• Feels love for ALL of Heavenly Father’s children.  Not just those in her family, or her ward, or stake, or nation, race, school, religion, etc.
• Does not cover her sins.  Repents quickly.
• Does not swear or speak of inappropriate things
• Does not gossip
• Gains pure knowledge so she can teach and lead others to Christ
• Studies the scriptures
• Does not elevate herself to diminish others
• Does not cheat or deceive others in any way
• Never disciplines out of anger, but out of love
• Takes accountability for her sins and repents quickly
• Has self-control
• Prepares and prevents so she will not sin
• Listens to leaders and prophets
• Prays for guidance
• Lives within her means
• Discusses without contention
• Overcomes her fear so she can serve
• Rejoices in the success of others, even if it is something she wanted herself
• Is honest in every way
• Does not care if her good deeds are known
• Knows when to lead and when to follow
• Easily compliments, uplifts and shows praise and gratitude to others
• Has self- worth
• Respects authority

And now for this girl.

• She is motivated to be better by pride… not love
• She will pit her will against God’s will… unless His will agrees with her.
• Desires gifts and talents to gain the praise of men
• She elevated her ways above others, and above God’s
• Is defensive
• Is competitive
• Finds pleasure in being above the rest
• Embarrasses others
• Is harsh
• Disciplines out of impatience and anger
• Criticizes others
• Manipulates others
• Selectively loves people
• Desires the success or higher rank of herself, or her family, or her race, or her school, her ward, her nation, etc.
• Asks others to do things she is unwilling to do herself
• Exaggerates her abilities or accomplishments
• Rationalizes her sins
• Immodest
• Does not pray or only appears to pray
• Denies that she is sinning
• Is more concerned with what man will think that with what God will think
• Mimics love to get what she wants
• Needs signs before she has faith in God
• Looks to the popular opinion
• Wants immediate gratification
• Lives beyond her means
• Behaves inappropriately
• Is jealous and envies
• Blames others
• Doesn’t take accountability
• Cheats
• Deceives others for personal gain
• Easily laughs at bad or inappropriate things
• Wants her opinion to be right
•  Wants good deeds to be seen of men
• Holds grudges
• Resents authority
• Fear trumps her faith
• Self-contempt
• Progression is limited or stopped
• Self-pity
• Uses hostile words
• Backbites
• Depends on the world to tell her she has value
• Unity is impossible
• Easily argues
• Does not receive correction
• Envies those above her and resents those beneath her

 

Now… we will find ourselves in both of these girls.

The goal is to repent away the one just above.

It would be really interesting to discuss this with your family and then talk about everyday scenarios and how each person would deal with them.

Things like:

• She finds out someone is talking about her
• She is at school and someone asks to copy her homework
• The boy she has a crush on asks someone else to the school dance
• Her teacher asks her to put her cell phone away
• She is asked to speak in Sacrament meeting

It is amazing how understanding charity and pride illuminates everything and makes everything clearer.