Whose responsible? You?

“Arrogance diminishes wisdom” ~Arabian Proverb

What is your definition of “arrogance?” Do you often say that my confidence is mistaken for arrogance? What does that really mean? These are all rhetorical questions, but this one isn’t—where is the line drawn between “confidence” and “arrogance?” A friend of mine is quoted as saying “Arrogance is confidence with NO humility. So I guess the line would be humility or the lack thereof.” Another one of my friends is quoted as saying “You can still have humility and be confident...there is no humility in arrogance.” These two perspectives would allude to the assertion that humility is the line drawn between arrogance and confidence; that if you’re confident, but have NO humility, the arrogance is highlighted. #SELAH

Another perspective given by a close friend is that “Confidence is having faith. Arrogance is idolizing.” Which would imply that arrogance is TOTALLY rooted from self. Displaced confidence could very well be rooted from self as well, but the DEPTH of this idea would be that your confidence lies elsewhere. Whether you believe in God or not, the mainstay idea is that confidence requires another party--Arrogance doesn’t. The denotative meaning of “confidence” is “the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.” #SELAH

My particular belief system falls under the concept of the denotative meaning. I rely on something and someone BIGGER than me. When you start getting the thought that something is controlled by YOU with no other party, that’s where the arrogance factor comes in. My confidence is rooted in something ETERNAL—GOD! I’m not stupid enough to just have confidence in myself. I need the BIGGER. #SELAH

Of course the depths and complexity of the idea of arrogance can go way further than this. Whatever your perspective on the issue, make sure your life lines with the perspective—that’s the key.

“The truest characters of ignorance are vanity, pride and arrogance.” ~Samuel Butler

††Keep the FAITH, HOPE & LOVE alive††

~M.A.~