Finding the pride inside

You know those inspirational story posts or videos that go viral on Facebook?

Probably about 5 years ago, I was reading the comments on one of these posts. I think it was about an old man who had given a candy to some lady’s son and it was an answer to her prayer.

Many of the comments said essentially the same thing:

“If only everyone was a little more like this old man!”

But one comment stood out to me.

“Everyone keeps commenting ‘if only everyone in the world was like this’ but there is no use in hoping everyone else would be nicer unless we all decide to be a little nicer. And that starts with you. When you see these types of stories, use them to reflect on how YOU can change, how YOU can be a better person, or be more like the person in the story. Don’t use them as chances to wallow in pity that everyone else isn’t more like them.”

BOOM.

I’m not exaggerating when I say this random Facebook comment changed my life.

In fact, I would challenge you to find a post that I’ve written where I call out OTHER people for how they should be different.

Ever since then, I have focused every lesson, every scripture study, every lesson I’ve taught on how I can learn.

I think the scripture application is pretty clear.

It is so much easier to read through the scriptures and see how they relate to other people in the world around us.

It takes a lot more spiritual maturity and practice to CONSTANTLY think about the sins in ourselves that are being described in the scriptures, and find ways to change.

In 3 Nephi Chapter 6, the near-perfect civilization was broken apart by pride.

Pride is pretty easy to see in other people. Disobedience, anger, contention, selfishness, grudges, defensiveness, low self-esteem, divisiveness.

But I encourage you to give your mind a break from trying to point out the sins in everyone around you, that you see on social media, or even that you hear about in the news.

And start looking inside.

Instead of wishing the world was less prideful, because we know that it’s only going to get worse…

Let’s try to become less prideful. More loving. More meek. More humble.

More Christlike.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black