I, just like you, suffer from the character flaw of pride.
I want to be the man who boasts only in my Savior, but from time to time, I find desires of self-promotion getting in the way.
Ken Blanchard, of Lead like Jesus and One Minute Manager fame, suggests we ought to develop an egomaniacs anonymous network where we can start every meeting with:
"Hi, my name is (your name), and I am an egomaniac."
I see much wisdom in this. I need to do this because I need to be periodically reminded that this life is not about me. And when I make it about me, I foolishly take attention away from who really deserves the focus.
So...
Hi. My name is Bryan, and I am an egomaniac.
This is where y'all say together, "Hello Bryan."
We recently had a discipleship resource come from the printer's. I wasn't on the team when the project was initiated, but just before it was sent to the printer's, I was asked to give it a once-over, and found several areas that required attention. When the product was unveiled, my name was nowhere to be found in the editing credits, which disappointed me. My happiness should be that we put out a better resource, and it is. But I'm upset that I was upset that I wasn't acknowledged in the credits that nobody but editors read. I have nothing but selfish reasons for having wanted to be listed, and I'm ashamed of myself for the attitude of my heart over the matter. Thirteen little missing letters, in 7-point font, with a black typeface that seems aptly representative of the mark of sin. I'm so very thankful and humbled that the editor of my life uses a pen dipped in an inkwell of His own blood, spilt for the purpose of blotting out my transgressions.
This is where you let me sit down and you take your turn at the cathartic process of re-aligning yourself with the Father by sharing with the group.