What Price Arrogance?
One of the most pervasive attitudes I encountered when I was among management personnel was arrogance. As defined in the dictionary: "A feeling of superiority or an offensive exhibition of it. Presumptuous or overbearing conduct, statements, etc., resulting from such a feeling. Syn.: haughtiness, disdain. Arrogant: Making unwarrantable claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights. Characterized by or proceeding from arrogance." None of that description is very pretty and none is a welcome companion to the work place. Yet, why do we as a society worship the attitude of arrogance?
How much play time do celebrities get when they display arrogance? How often is "an attitude" a means of getting noticed in the work place? How many millions of dollars are spent to hear about arrogance/attitude? It's a cheap and easy method for those without other redeeming characteristics to be noticed. That may sound harsh but if these people had good ideas, good intentions, good work ethics, good moral fiber, and used their God given talents, using the attitude of arrogance would not be valuable to them. Elevating the arrogance and attitude to celebrity status is worshiping the wrong set of standards.
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate." When a person brags up their self it is arrogance. A person who finds it necessary to pretend they are more than they really are is practicing arrogance. In the work place arrogance may be exhibited:
They know it all. Always trying to answer the questions or offering the only solutions. An attitude of being better than their peers. The all too famous "put down" of others and their ideas. Bragging about what you have, where you went to school, who you know, how close you are to the boss, the projects you have initiated or completed, your chairmanship or leader of the committee, your memberships, and on and on and on.
What does this attitude of arrogance bring? In the beginning, it may push the career forward. There are always the gullible who believe if someone has an attitude, they must deserve our respect. I've watched many an attitude of arrogance slowly and surely kill careers and projects. An advantage of many years in the work place, you get to see the fruitation or the demise of careers. You see patterns. The pattern of arrogance will be one of failure. Isaiah 13:11 "And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible." God promises to punish the arrogance of the proud - I'm thinking that is career failure to the maximum.
I found it was better to let the arrogant go their merry way making their claims of greatness. Seldom do the arrogant care what others may think; after all if you are on their self described level of omnipotence who needs the advice of the lowly? It is mostly with sadness to watch a fellow employee elevate themselves to this depth of sin. And it is always sad to see them crash. I have watched many an arrogant employee crash and it is always with a look of amazement upon their face to realize their sham of arrogance didn't sell forever. At this point, some become humbled and can reflect on their mistake of arrogance. It is with great prayer for this saving Grace. Matthew 16:26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Take the lesson to your heart and avoid the sin of arrogance and pride. Pity and pray for those afflicted that they may be humbled before they come before God for His judgment. Matthew 18:4 "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
How much play time do celebrities get when they display arrogance? How often is "an attitude" a means of getting noticed in the work place? How many millions of dollars are spent to hear about arrogance/attitude? It's a cheap and easy method for those without other redeeming characteristics to be noticed. That may sound harsh but if these people had good ideas, good intentions, good work ethics, good moral fiber, and used their God given talents, using the attitude of arrogance would not be valuable to them. Elevating the arrogance and attitude to celebrity status is worshiping the wrong set of standards.
Proverbs 8:13 "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the forward mouth, do I hate." When a person brags up their self it is arrogance. A person who finds it necessary to pretend they are more than they really are is practicing arrogance. In the work place arrogance may be exhibited:
They know it all. Always trying to answer the questions or offering the only solutions. An attitude of being better than their peers. The all too famous "put down" of others and their ideas. Bragging about what you have, where you went to school, who you know, how close you are to the boss, the projects you have initiated or completed, your chairmanship or leader of the committee, your memberships, and on and on and on.
What does this attitude of arrogance bring? In the beginning, it may push the career forward. There are always the gullible who believe if someone has an attitude, they must deserve our respect. I've watched many an attitude of arrogance slowly and surely kill careers and projects. An advantage of many years in the work place, you get to see the fruitation or the demise of careers. You see patterns. The pattern of arrogance will be one of failure. Isaiah 13:11 "And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible." God promises to punish the arrogance of the proud - I'm thinking that is career failure to the maximum.
I found it was better to let the arrogant go their merry way making their claims of greatness. Seldom do the arrogant care what others may think; after all if you are on their self described level of omnipotence who needs the advice of the lowly? It is mostly with sadness to watch a fellow employee elevate themselves to this depth of sin. And it is always sad to see them crash. I have watched many an arrogant employee crash and it is always with a look of amazement upon their face to realize their sham of arrogance didn't sell forever. At this point, some become humbled and can reflect on their mistake of arrogance. It is with great prayer for this saving Grace. Matthew 16:26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Take the lesson to your heart and avoid the sin of arrogance and pride. Pity and pray for those afflicted that they may be humbled before they come before God for His judgment. Matthew 18:4 "Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
posted by Diane Gibson at
5:45 PM
