LITTLE MISS STUCK UP

Love is not jealous or boastful or proud - 1 Corinthians 13:4b (NLT)

      It was Sunday afternoon and several of the kids from the youth group had gathered in the auditorium to practice there Easter play. As Randy Smith stood at the back to quietly observe how the practice was going he noticed a rather sad looking Bernadette Peterson slouched over in the back pew and it almost sounded like she was crying.

     Thinking he might try and cheer her up, Randy walked over and asked her if she was getting excited for Easter. “Not really.” came the reply. “Don't you enjoy all that good food?” Randy asked. “Too much food.” came Bernadette's reply. “What about the egg hunt?” Randy asked next. “They're too hard to find.” Bernadette replied. “The candy?” Randy asked, “Too sweet.” came the reply. “The conversation?” Randy asked next. “Boring.” Bernadette answered.

     “Wow” Randy thought, “She must really be down. But I know what will cheer her up.” “Are you excited about the Easter celebration of our Risen Lord?” But instead of cheering up Bernadette burst into tears. “Did I say something wrong?” Randy asked to which Bernadette answered through her sobs “Stella got the lead in the Easter Puppet Play at church.”

     “So your Jealous.” Randy said while thinking of a recent sermon he gave on the subject. “I didn’t even try out.” Bernadette replied, “I was too shy.” “Oh.” Randy said in surprise, “If your not jealous then what's the problem with Stella having the lead in the puppet play?” “Stella has become Little Miss Stuck Up.” Bernadette replied sounding a bit angry now.

     “Little Miss Stuck Up?” Randy questioned, “That's not a nice way to talk about your friend.” “I know,” Bernadette replied, “But it’s the truth. She’s let being a star go to her head. “What do you mean?” Randy asked. “She thinks she’s super special and only has to be around those who are stars. And I’m no longer good enough for her.”

     “What do you mean?” Randy wanted know. “She said I wasn’t good enough for her anymore.” Bernadette told him, “And furthermore, she said she would be embarrassed to be seen with me. She even told me to drop dead, because the world doesn’t need poor people like you, and, and, and.” Unable to finish her sentence, Bernadette burst in to tears again.

     “Your still my friend.” Randy said as he sat down beside Bernadette and put his arm around her. “I know.” Bernadette replied with half a smile, “I just wish Stella was still mine. Her new friends are just as bad as she is.” “I think Stella is setting her self up for a big fall.” Randy said. “Yeah,” Bernadette agreed, “And I hope she falls soon. I want her friendship back.”

      For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. - 1 John 2:16 (NASB) There are some things that do not come from God nor do they belong to God. They are the things that belong to the world and its prince – Satan. Pride or arrogance is one of those things.

     Not only is Pride not from God but it is not a part of love, the fifth in Paul's list on love. When we look through the Bible we can find plenty of examples of pride, of little stuck ups and the not so wonderful results.

      Naaman at least to begin with lost a chance to be healed because of his pride. - Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, "I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy." So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean." But Naaman was furious and went away and said, "Behold, I thought, 'He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.' "Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and went away in a rage. - 2 Kings 5:1-12 (NASB)

     Like Naaman, Haaman let pride get the better of him. Unlike Naaman, Haaman never relented and well, - After these events King Ahasuerus promoted Haman and advanced him and established his authority over all the princes who were with him. All the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage. When Haman saw that Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled with rage. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him who the people of Mordecai were; therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus. Then Zeresh his wife and all his friends said to him, "Have a gallows fifty cubits high made and in the morning ask the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go joyfully with the king to the banquet." And the advice pleased Haman, so he had the gallows made. And in due time Haaman found himself hanging from his own gallows. - Esther (NASB)

     Even in the New Testament we can find pride with disastrous results. - On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, "The voice of a god and not of a man!" And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died. - Acts 12:21-23 (NASB)

     When it comes to pride and thinking more of one's self than one should think about these verses

• Proverbs 11:2 - Pride leads only to shame; it is wise to be humble. (NCV)
• Romans 12:16 - Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. (HCSB)
• James 4:10 - Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. (HCSB)
• Romans 12:3 - Because God has given me a special gift, I have something to say to everyone among you. Do not think you are better than you are. You must decide what you really are by the amount of faith God has given you. (NCV)

     Here's Something More To Ponder

• How often do you become a “little stuck up”
• What happens to those around you when you become a “little stuck up”