Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday September 27, 2006

A few years ago a friend commented on the amazing power of a man he had met. My friend told me that the man had the ability to make anyone feel inferior in comparison to himself. WOW. This is new?

I decided that I must meet this giant. Upon meeting him he went right to work on his game. Gigantic office, power colors, groveling secretary, the whole ball of wax including a few snide remarks to a staff member who confessed his ignorance of just what to do next.

During the conversation by his answers to a few well placed, though veiled questions it was easy enough to establish the man suffered from a barely functional intellect, a fear of others who had a higher level of intelligence and that he suffered severe rejection somewhere along the line. Perhaps his mother has wished she had held her breath during the entirety of the birth process. Hard to tell. Charisma? He had charisma running out of his ears and thus the ignorant fearful people with whom he surrounded himself fed his false sense of superiority.

It wasn't long until the word sped through the grapevine that our super duper power hog had let his charisma get him into a situation that demanded at least a modicum of mental acuity and he was, alas, predictably shipwrecked. In my pre-conversion days this was known usually as a person's mouth getting them into more than their backside could handle. This was stated much more graphically.

We all know at least one someone who makes it their goal in life to put others down. This cunning ability is often mistaken for the mark of superiority. It is always dangerous to make this mistake.

Truly great people have the uncanny knack of making you feel better about yourself and you niche in life. I have known some truly great people during my sojourn on the path of life and without fail they each had this quality. It's really not hard to figure this trait out as Emerson said: "Every man is my superior in that I might learn from him." When a person truly feels this way, they are a joy to be around. Every great athlete will point to a coach/teacher who made him believe in himself or herself as the case may be.

A close study of the conversations Jesus had with His followers reveals that He instilled into them the belief that through His power in them they were unbeatable. He valued them so highly as His friends that He laid down His life for them. A truly great person communicates that he/she has your best interest at heart. Simple as ABC, yet very rare.

G. K. Chesterton wrote:

"There is a great man who makes everyone feel small. But the real great man is the man who makes every man feel great."

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

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