I find those that walk tall and with an air of arrogance interesting. There are examples of how everyone can be touched – people investing their lives in one person that are now destitute, people in the prime of their life dealing with life changing illnesses, and innocents harmed or exploited by the choices of people they do not know. In spite of the life studies that are available, you still meet them – in New York, in London, and perhaps if you are honest, when you look in the mirror.
I find myself reminded how easily I fall into the trap of thinking I am more special than someone else. It is an inviting position. One tends to feel better on first impressions. However, the ease at which I slip into confidence can be gone in an instant. This week’s newspapers reminded me of the story of others that have succumbed to the same temptation. For one who has never worked, she finds herself looking for employment. For another, the outcome was blindness. “He was plunged immediately into a shadowy mist and stumbled around, begging people to take his hand and show him the way.” (Acts 13.11)
I have recently received a new lease on life. With it, I have come to realize that the renewal actually occurs each morning. You and I are able to start fresh with the dawn. We can exercise the freedom within us in a way of our choosing. We are able to do anything! We have truth on our side. We have wisdom to guide us. We even have inspiration from the beauty found in the ordinary things of life. Everything is wide open.
The question is what we do with our confidence. One option is to build a god within, trying to prove the myth that we are superior. There is a clear alternative. We can use our Hope filled confidence to make a difference. We can be the change for good, if only for ourselves. It is a unique opportunity. It is also one demanding our best.
