Pride and Prejudice (The Modern-Day Version)

     Let me start by saying that this is not a novel, my name’s not Jane Austen, and anyone who knows me can tell you that I’m nowhere even close to being British. The reason I chose Pride and Prejudice as the topic for this post is because while the great Elizabeth and Darcy are mere fictional characters, the essence of their story is constantly being portrayed in our society. We can’t see past each other’s shortcomings, and for this we often lose great opportunities.

A lot of our pride and prejudice comes from being stubborn. We are so set in our own ways that we refuse to see the big picture if it isn’t what we want it to be. Now don’t say you’re not a stubborn person, because this quality is in everyone to some extent. And if you’re still denying your stubbornness, then chances are you’re even worse off than we who admit it are. Being stubborn can be an obstacle when working with a group because those working with you may not agree with your ideas, which may or may not lead to the second thing that can be harbored within pride: having a bad temper. I know it can be hard to keep your cool when you have a lot to deal with -- school, housework, or whatever it is that builds stress can make you do and say things that you’ll eventually regret. One of the best ways to prevent this is to stop what you’re doing, take a deep breath, and ask yourself, “Is what I’m about to do honoring to God?” Just ask Him -- you’ll get an answer.

All I can say about prejudice is that it is what it is, and it doesn’t have to be something huge like racism or prejudice over religious beliefs. It can be as small and seemingly insignificant as, “Well, I don’t want to spend time with them because they’re not from the best neighborhood.” Now is that a national scandal? Not at all, but it can really hurt the feelings of whomever you’re talking about. Another example of an act of prejudice is being judgmental of people because of what clothes they wear. So what if someone you know doesn’t wear the latest trends, or if they don’t dress the way you typically dress? I mean, I myself enjoy thrift store hunting just as much as shopping at the mall. All that should be important to you is clothing yourself to glorify God and setting the right example for other girls around you.

I encourage you to not look at people as black or white, as Democrat or Republican, as rich or poor, or as any other label you can think of. Because God loves us all the same, and in the end His opinion is the only one that matters. So don’t succumb to the temptations of pride and prejudice. There are many arguments worth the choosing of one side, but strive not to become blinded by the things that don't matter! Elizabeth and Darcy were able to work out their silly arguments! You can have a happy ending, too! 

  For those of you out there who haven’t yet read Pride and Prejudice, be sure to check it out at your local library. It’s great!!!