Pride

FAST FOR THE WEEK: TIME
Go out of your way for others this week. Fast from indulging yourself time-wise. Get up a half hour or an hour earlier. Make it a goal this week: To daily bless someone else through your words or actions, to give someone else the gift of your listening ear—resist the urge to share your troubles and instead focus on someone else and helping to share theirs. Commit this week to doing something for someone else—help a friend move or paint, serve the poor, stop and help a stranger even if (especially if) you are in a hurry to get somewhere. Keep journal entries of what it’s like to spend your time on others.


PASSAGE FOR THE DAY
While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely." (Luke 20:45-47, NIV)


REFLECTION QUESTIONS AND PRAYER
Consider: What does having others’ honor and respect do for you? What are you willing to do for it? What blinded the people Jesus was talking about to their character defects? What blinds you to yours? 

Pray: That God would reveal areas of pride and self-righteousness to you and what you can do about them.