Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday December 15, 2008

Most of you are aware of the "Merry Christmas, Stupid" note sent from the Feds to Rod Blagojevich Governor of Illinois. Charles Colson commented on this by stating in a CNN piece that he knows how the Gov. feels. Many of us do.

Colson quoted C.S. Lewis as the basis for his speaking on the troubles of Gov. Whatshisname, (easier to spell) and pointed out the cancerous nature of greed, said greed often dressed up in fancy clothes to make it seem somehow honorable.

In "Mere Christianity" C.S. Lewis wrote:

"There is one vice of which no man in the world is free. The vice I am talking about is Pride or Self Conceit. Pride leads to every other vice. 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. Pride is a spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense."

The word "pride" is mentioned 53 times in the Bible and from the preponderance of its use, it is NOT a good thing, but is most often cited as an omen of coming pain, shame and destruction. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:18:

"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."

In a life lived from the bottom, (I was born naked) to near the top level, I know from experience and observation that the only difference between the current leader in dollar amounts of fraud and a petty thief snatching purses is the zeros. The same sinful nature filled with pride is the driving force. Pride, arrogance, the looking down the long, high held nose all lead to humiliation and the more zeros involved the wider the proclaimed humiliation. Period.

The highest being to be brought low via pride is known as Lucifer, the bright angel which became ate up with the cancer of pride and fell below a redeemable level and is currently held in eternal chains of darkness.

On Friday past, former Governor, George Ryan issued a news release beginning with:

"I want to make things right in my heart with God, with my family and with those I have hurt. As a former public official, a husband, a father and a grandfather, I apologize."

Gov. Ryan was especially apologetic to the Willis family who lost six children when a fraudulently licensed truck driver caused the accident which took the children’s life. The Gov. said, "They, like all of the people of Illinois, deserved far better than I gave them."

The word I get is that Mr. Ryan is a changed man, and this testimony coming from prisoners in a Federal Prison should not be taken lightly.

When humans fail, unlike fallen angels, they are redeemable through Christ and if we are too proud to accept their acknowledgements to their prideful sin and fall, then just perhaps our own day of tears and humiliation is coming.

1 Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit.

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