Have you ever experienced a bad argument with your husband, especially over something very silly? You thought to yourself ,“You were right, and he was wrong?” I have, and it was all over a loaf of bread. Yep, you read that right, bread!
It was when we first started dating and he was a single dad raising three teenage boys and pinching pennies. I was the one who knew everything about nutrition as well as what the boys and soon to be husband needed in their diet. We had gone to a discount bread store; you know the ones where you can get six loaves of bread for $4.00. But six loaves of white bread wasn’t healthy for these young men; they needed wheat bread! It was $1.00 more, and my Jeff wouldn’t buy it. We got into an intense “knock down, drag out” argument while in the store. Let me clarify, I got into an argument; Jeff just wanted to let it go. But of course inside myself my “PRIDE” wanted to be right; I just wanted to hear Jeff say I was right too! It was more important than the fact that I was causing a scene and embarrassing the both of us too!
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)
I know now that the argument wasn’t worth it, neither was the embarrassment we both experienced, but I couldn’t see that at the time. I wasn’t being respectful to my soon to be husband. Neither was I reflecting a Christ-like personality to those around me. My goodness, “What sort of witness was I being to cashiers and customers in the store that day?”
Now, my family eats wheat bread, but not because of beating my husband over the head with it, but because I waited, taught, and prayed.
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word
stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)
Bread might be something so simple in relation to what’s going on in your marriage, or even your daily life but I want to encourage you today that no matter what you are facing, “God’s Word” is consistent! Set down your pride and run to God for the wisdom and think back to this writing, “Don’t forget the bread!”
Building strong marriages together,
Amanda Hughes
The following are a few verses to further encourage you:
I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. (Leviticus 26:19)
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. (Psalm 10:4)
Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (Proverbs 13:10)
The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)
Amanda, great topic. I, too, suffer greatly with pride. It seems to be one of my biggest pitfalls that God is dealing with. My personality is that I hate having misconceptions out there so I will try to defend myself. Another aspect of it is the propensity to be offended. He has been working on me to be unoffendable and let it roll of my back. He tells me that it’s okay if misconceptions are out there as long as I have listened to Him, responded with His heart, and did the right thing by all involved. He will defend me, He will set the record straight in due time. My embarrassment or hurt feelings is only for a season, but there’s purpose to everything He allows to come into my life. It is so hard for me to be silent and let Him deal with people. I always feel I need to be right and have the last word. I’m trying to learn and incorporate prayer as a response to my hurts, offenses, embarrassment, and anxiety over the day to day struggles in personal relationships.
Amen Kym! I think some of that goes with our military background as well. Have to have the last word, needing to be right….I find myself alot of times using our training of humility to let go of the “offenses” in a quicker manner.
Thank you for your comments….eye opening for me as well.
Great post and words! The transparency really is encouraging lets us know that we aren’t the only ones that have done this pride can really destroy! This is and area that God is truly working on me at this time … I really was blinded to the fact of how pride was so prevalent in my life even after being saved!!!! Ouch! French tries and salt was our first!