Don't Bragimony

by Charles Ligon

April 21, 2013

In his book Mastering Monday, John Becket tells the amusing story of a man who was awarded a lapel pin for being the most humble person in the church. Sadly, it wasn’t long before the church elders had to take the pin away because the man wore it all the time. The man’s humility had turned to pride. In my own life I have found that it is easy to receive a compliment from someone and then proceed to brag on myself in response. A friend calls this response a “Bragimony”. It is when we receive a compliment and end up testifying about ourselves. Sadly, it is a reflection of pride. A simple and humble “thank you” would suffice. The Bible says that God hates pride (Proverbs 8:13). Unfortunately, the subtle sin of pride is never far from tainting our hearts and attitudes. We must be careful and be warned.

King Nebuchadnezzar was warned but still declared from his rooftop, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty (Daniel 4:30)? The personal pronouns of “I” and “my” can lead to destruction. This is especially true in the marketplace where men and women can easily take credit for success.

What will pride do to you at work? In his book, Becket says that pride puts us on a pedestal causing us to look down on others...pride desensitizes us to other’s needs, blunting our compassion…pride deafens us to the concerns of customers and employees…pride leads us to justify lavish indulgence. Even worse, pride can dupe people into illicit relationships, destroying marriages and families. Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before the fall (Proverbs 16:18).

Our workplace challenge is to rid ourselves of pride in our lives. The Bible says Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God (I Peter 5:6). Humility is the strongest defense against pride. So, how can we practice humility at work? Here are a few ideas: Replace “I” with “they”, “us” and “we”. Testify daily and publically to God’s provision giving Him 100% credit for all success through your work. Practice generosity with your time and resources. Finally, reply to all compliments with a simple “thank you” or, better yet, deflect all praise to Him…for His glory!