It's not Arrogance if it's True

As sinful human beings, we often fall into the trap of thinking that the world revolves around us. It could show itself when someone is relating an experience and we must put in our two bits because we view our similar experience of more value because it was harder, more painful, more exciting, etc. (i.e., "My pregnancy was harder than yours because I was in labor for fifteen minutes longer and I did it without an epidural.").
Or maybe others feel bullied into following our suggestions because we have left little doubt that our opinion must carry more significant weight than theirs (i.e., "I have attended this church much longer than you and I took a decorating course at the local community college and so therefore my choice of color for the church bathrooms must be better.").
There are many other examples. "My hat is prettier than yours because I wove it myself from reeds in my exotic flower garden." "My child is smarter than yours because he can name all 206 bones in the human body." "My chili recipe is better than yours..."
There is way too much pride running loose on our planet.

Now here is a thought that comes close to short circuitting my brain every time: God seeks those who will worship him and give him glory. Yet, far from being sin, as it would be if I were to do the same, it is for our own good! Rather than being the epitome of arrogance, it is a selfless act.

This is how that works:
1. God wants us to have the absolute best that he can give us.
2. He is the undisputed best thing in the universe. This is not pride, because it is fact. I cannot claim to have the best chili in the world because I cannot feasibly compare mine to all the other chili recipes in the world. On the other hand, every person can and has been measured against God's standard and been found wanting (Rom. 3:23).
3. Therefore, for us to have the best, He must give us Himself. He began that when he sent Christ to the cross for our sins. But there is more than that. The cross only made a way for us to be able to experience Him. Please do not read that I am diminishing the importance of Calvary! Without Christ's sacrifice, our sin makes it impossible for us to have any part of Him!
4. In order to give us himself, often our Heavenly Father must take something else away first. You and I might take a Twinkie away from our child in order to give her a piece of fresh fruit. The child is going to complain even if we have her best interest in mind. When our Sovereign Lord takes something away from us, we often feel sorry for ourselves because we do not realize that clinging to Him in its absence is better for us than the thing we lost.
5. Worshipping and glorifying God is the way we "get" the most of Him (the best thing in the universe). John Piper says "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." Our satisfaction is most evident when things do not appear to be going our way. It's easy to be satisfied when you're lying on the beach, but the world takes notice when you sing in the dungeon. Whether it be in sickness, poverty, or persecution (times when something has been taken away from us), it really is in our best interest to glorify him most at those times. This goes far beyond merely trusting him to get you through. It's about sheer delight that God has taken something from you in order to give you more of himself. It isn't really loss at all. It's Grace.
Don't miss the opportunities when they come. Don't miss the Grace. It truly is greater than anything this life has to offer.