Flawed

Have you ever told an amazing story only to be “one-upped” by someone else’s story only seconds later? How about offering a solution to someone only to be corrected by a know-it-all?

Recently, I received one of those emails full of personal questions that you answer and send to your friends to fill out. This particular one asked a series of questions about the sender to test my knowledge of that person. After filling it out, I sent out my own blank version to a number of my friends from over the years. The results were pretty comical, especially the variance on my middle name, but I actually learned something surprising from the results. One of the questions was “person’s most annoying habit?” and four different people from different periods of my life said that my most annoying habit was correcting other people’s grammar. I was shocked. I know I am a bit freakish about grammar (especially the misuse of IRREGARDLESS – it is NOT a word) but obviously my problem is a lot bigger than I thought it was.

In the week following that email I stopped myself from correcting grammar more than 10 times! Contemplating my need for correct grammar, I realized the issue was less about grammar and more about needing to feel important, different, and even intelligent. I believe every human being excels in SOME area of their lives but what compels us to need to be the best or to become egotistical? A good friend of mine recently said that he didn’t mind people with big egos as long as they had the stuff to back it up; I couldn’t disagree more. The people I respect most are those who have every right to have a big ego yet are clothed with humility.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2

Your thoughts?