“Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron.” (John 13:3-5 MSG)
Jesus was secure in his identity. He knew who He was, where He came from, and where He was going. He lived with purpose. This allowed Him to serve others with humility. He didn’t seek external approval or put on airs.
"Insecure people are always worrying about how they appear to others. They fear exposure of their weaknesses and hide beneath layers of protective pride and pretensions. The more insecure you are, the more you will want people to serve you, and the more you will need their approval.” (Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life)
Pretentious behavior can be mistaken for confidence. Projections can create illusions that fool the majority. Like the little wizard in the Wizard of Oz who pretends to be more than he is, many of us spend our lives hiding beneath layers of protective pride and pretensions. However, truly secure people do not need external validation to recognize their self-worth.
Why is this significant?
All of us desire to find our authentic selves and have meaningful lives. Yet, we rarely question the motivations behind our own behaviors or that of others. We only acknowledge that there is a problem when insecurities lead to harmful choices. We mistake false pretensions for true purpose. This leads us down dead-end roads to emptiness and dissatisfaction.
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” (Mahatma Gandhi)
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