In the movie ‘Cars 1’, Lightning McQueen is a rookie car that is suddenly becoming famous for his prowess in racing. The movie begins with a race, and throughout the race, Lightning refuses to make complete pit stops to be serviced and have his tyres changed, taking only a few seconds each lap to refuel. He ignores the pit crews’ advice to make a complete stop, saying he didn’t need them as he was a one man show. His strategy backfires on the last lap when his tyres explode although he makes it to the finish line alongside the top two, qualifying him for the next race in another state. Reporters interview Lightning after the race, and he repeats again that he is a "one-man show." His pit crew, fed up with Lightning's shoddy treatment, quit in the middle of the interview. One of the top cars tells McQueen that his talent is extraordinary, but his attitude is stupid and he can't win without a good team behind him, but he ignores him.
As he’s being transported to the next state, he is so determined to be the first to arrive that he denies his transporter truck permission to stop and rest on the way even though he was so tired, and it was late in the night. The truck falls asleep, veers off road, the back door opens and McQueen wheels out in his sleep oblivious of what is happening. The truck, after sobering up, gets back on the road and proceeds on to California, unaware that he’d dropped McQueen. Lightning wakes up in panic mode and in an attempt to find his way, ends up in an accident. He wakes up in an impound lot strapped with a parking boot and confronted by a rusted tow truck, in small deserted, beat up town where no one knows him. He is confined there for having damaged a part of their road and the court orders him to fix it, and only when it’s done, is he free to leave. Despite his predicament, McQueen is still full of himself, belittling the town cars and viewing himself superior to them. During his uncomfortable and challenging stay in this town, he one day realizes that the town judge was once a famous race car.
Long
story short, he finishes the road, and heads to California for his race. A
group of this small town’s cars, led by the judge, surprise him with their
presence, when they decide to come cheer him up and serve as his pit crew. In
the end McQueen is seen opting to not win the race in order to go back and help
another car that had had an accident during the race. It was from his stay in
this small town that taught him to swallow his pride and value others. And it
was from valuing his new pit crew that McQueen was able to recommend the small
town to his friends, making it a tourist destination, booming with life.
Why did I share this story? I shared it simply to say that we’ve all at one time been so proud as to thinking that we were independent of other people, that we did not need them. Christians and non-believers alike, have fallen prey to this cancer.
In one of my previous blogs, ‘Jesus the righteous judge’, I narrated how I’d gone through some hurting seasons that I resulted into a lone ranger. I figured it would be easy to do things alone as opposed to teaming up with people, since people were always full of drama that I did not need in my life. Even though God, through the school of ministry, had been revealing to me that He works with relationships, there were still areas of my life I chose to be independent- not needing anyone’s help. In deception I was so blind to see that I was acting out in pride, yet I was still a strong, tongue speaking, devil stomping believer and follower of Christ. I remember one time Rev. Niyi Morakinyo, my former Pastor, rebuking me and telling me that if I didn’t allow God to work on my heart in pulling down the pride, I would miss out on so much including marriage.
I listened to him but in my self- righteousness thought
to myself “who does he think he is to say
such things. Is he God to decide whether I will enter marriage or not? And who
gives him the right to judge me?” Time went by and I met my fiancée. During
one of our disagreements sometime early last year, he pointed out that I was so
full of myself. Imagine my shock! I said to myself “Oh no he didn’t!” (All finger snapping, eyes rolling attitude).
One thing I’ve
come to really appreciate and love about my fiancée and I is our openness- the
ability to be candid with each other. Part of our growth has been facilitated
by this openness and we are still growing.
Now back to my
story...
Since I was committed to make this work, I went back to
God and asked Him to reveal to me why he said that. I began to realize how I’d
been operating in pride, behaving as if the world revolved around me, believing
that I was right and everyone else was wrong, but telling/deceiving myself that
I’d already attained spiritual maturity. In submitting myself to God fully for
Him to work on me, I have come to understand why the bible tells us to die
daily. I am still a work in progress, and I still fall in pride traps, but I’ve
availed myself to God for rebuke and correction, learning as I grow.
Everyday there is an opportunity to act out in pride, to see yourself better that others, to want to go it alone, to want to show off, to want to disconnect with those you consider ‘little people’ who you don’t see how the add to your life... but the greatest victory is adopting humility!
We are one body, the body of Christ, and the bible tells us that we are each to bring in our diverse God given uniqueness for the common purpose of establishing God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. {Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-16}
Just because you’ve had a disagreement with your spiritual covering, it doesn’t mean you go start your own church, or move churches. Just because a member of your congregation gives little tithe, doesn’t mean that he or she has nothing valuable to offer your ministry. Or just because you are the breadwinner doesn’t mean your spouse is useless and you should look down on him/her. She/he has something you don’t, we need each other!
Recently a good friend of mine resigned from her job because her boss was belittling, abusing and humiliating her in front of her colleagues, for not having a university degree despite the many months she has stayed committed to the job. He who thinks of himself too knowledgeable or learned to learn from others is a fool!
Don’t glory in your achievements, possessions, accolades or be deceived that you have already reached the highest point of maturity in God, that you need no one. We are ALL nothing without God, and we ALL fall short of His perfection. Another thing is, the old adage is true, that ‘no man is an island’. God works with relationships; my strength is to cover your weakness as your strength covers mine, your uniqueness compliments mine, and together we grow into a strong force and can achieve anything.
Get off your high horse and realize that the world doesn’t revolve around you. you do not exist by yourself and for yourself. You are not a one man show! many people played a part to you being where you are. There exists no orbit around you!
“As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down you cannot see something that is above you.” ~ C.S. Lewis
Parting shot: Romans 12:3
Wooow!
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