1
May
2013
Proud vs. Broken People
Most of the Christian books, sermons and theological material that my father gave me as a boy failed to catch my attention; but, for some reason, I’ve never forgotten Nancy Demoss’ chart contrasting proud/broken people. I need this more today as a husband, father, pastor and friend than when I was young:
| Proud, Unbroken People | Broken People |
|---|---|
| 1. Focus on the failure of others | 1. Are overwhelmed with their own spiritual need (Matthew 5:3, 7:3-5, Luke 18:9-14) |
| 2. Are self righteous; have a critical, fault finding spirit; look at own life/faults with a telescope but others with a microscope | 2. Are compassionate; have a forgiving spirit; look for the best in others (Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:12) |
| 3. Look down, in a condescending spirit, at others | 3. Esteem all others as better than self (Phil. 2:3, Rom. 12:10) |
| 4. Are independent; have desires for everyone else to meet own personal needs | 4. Are dependent on God and His grace; recognize others’ needs and seek to meet them (2 Cor. 3:4-6, Phil. 2:4) |
| 5. Always manipulating circumstances to maintain control; must have everyone do it their way | 5. Surrenders control by giving freedom for others to do or see things differently (Rom. 12:1-2) |
| 6. Have to prove they are always right | 6. Are willing to yield to the possibility that they could be wrong, and thus, yield the need to always prove they are right(Rom. 15:2) |
| 7. Claiming personal rights | 7. Yielding personal rights (Eph. 5:21) |
| 8. Display a demanding spirit | 8. Have a giving spirit (Rom. 12:13) |
| 9. Self-protective of time, rights, reputation | 9. Are self-denying (Luke 9:23) |
| 10. Desire to be served | 10. Are motivated to serve others (Matt. 20:26-28, Phil. 2:20-21) |
| 11. Desire to be a success | 11. Desire to be faithful to make others a success (John 3:30) |
| 12. Desire for self-advancement | 12 Desire to promote others (John 3:3)). |
| 13. Are driven to be recognized and appreciated | Have a sense of unworthiness; are thrilled to be used at all; eager for others to get credit, honors and awards (I Tim. 1:12-16) |
| 14. Cringe when others in the same field are praised, wishing it was them | 14. Rejoice when others are lifted up (Rom. 12:15) |
| 15. Think ‘the ministry is privileged to have me!’ | 15. Think ‘I don’t deserve to serve in this ministry (2 Cor. 4:7) |
| 16. Think of what they can do for God | 16. Know they can offer nothing to God, and seek for God to work through them in His power (Phil. 3:8-9, Titus 3:5) |
| 17. Feel confident in how much they know | 17. Are humbled by how much they have not learned and wish to learn (Phil. 3:12, Prov. 1:7) |
| 18. Are self conscious | 18. Have little concern with how others view them (Gal. 1:10) |
| 19. Keep people at arm’s length | 19. Risk getting close to others; are willing to take those risks for the sake of love for others (2 Cor. 6:11-12) |
| 20. Are quick to blame others | 20. Accept personal responsibility; can see and acknowledge personal failure (Matthew 7) |
| 21. Are concerned with being ‘respectable’ | 21. Are concerned with being real (2 Cor. 4:3-5). |
| 22. Are concerned about what others think | 22. Know all that matters is God and what He knows (I Cor. 4:3-5) |
| 23. Work hard to maintain image and protect reputation | 23. Die to own reputation (Phil. 3:7, Rom. 14:7) |
| 24. Find it difficult to share their spiritual needs with others | 24. Are willing to be transparent with others (2 Cor. 1:12) |
| 25. Want to be sure no one finds aout about their sin | Are willing to acknowledge and confess one’s sin; brokenness is the ultimate sign of personal success (Ps. 51:17) |
| 26. Have a hard time saying, ‘I was wrong. Will you forgive me’ | Are quick to admit fault and seek forgiveness (I John 1:9, James 5:1) |
| 27. Deal in generalities when confession sin | 27. Deal in specifics (Ps. 51:17) |
| 28. Are concerned about the consequences of their sin | 28. Are grived over the root of their sin (Ps. 51:5) |
| 29. Wait for other party to come and ask forgiveness in a conflict | 29. Take the initiative to be reconciled; gets their first (Matthew 5:23-24) |
| 30. Compare themselves with others and feel deserving of honore | 30. Compare themselves with God and feel desparate for mercy (Luke 18:9-14) |
| 31. Are blind to their true heart condition | 31. Walk in the light of true knowledge concerning their own hearts (I John 1:6-7). |
| 32. Do not display any spirit of repentance, because they don’t need it | 32. Continually display a spirit of repentance, sensing their need for fresh encounters with God and the filling of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5;18), Gal 5:16) |
| 33. Spent time reading these words and wondering if _____________ was reading it | 33. Thanked the Lord for using words on the internet to bring brokenness to their lives. |
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Now that seems quite helpful. Convicting. Enlightening.
Love this. Convicting!
Thanks!
Thanks so much for the encouragement, very helpful and ouch!
Was convicting me on some until I got to he last and realized I was thinking my wife needed to read this.
This is a list I saw when I was a teen and have never forgotten, either. In fact, I moved overseas recently and only brought two suitcases with me, but her list was in one of those suitcases. I need this reminder so much, so often.
This type of advice is sadly incomplete and inapplicable in some situations. A good example of how scripture in the wrong hands can be deadly.
On Sunday I gave out a list of Proud People and Broken People to the Adult Sunday School class because we learned last week about accepting compliments with humility and talked about being proud. I remembered the list I had and thought it would be helpful to us all. The list I have is from Revive Our Hearts and I have had it for a long time. The list posted here has more to consider and work on to be humble. I will be printing this list as I can see there is much for me to work on to be like Christ. There are things on the list I have that are convicting, but I see even more on the list posted on your website that are convicting. Meaning I need to be more like Christ. Holy Spirit help me to be more like Jesus Christ. Thank you and God bless you.