[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f people who do not know themselves very well, were asked to rate themselves, they would rate themselves much higher than someone else would rate them.
In reality, there are many people who have been rated a fifty by other people, but have given themselves a score higher than eighty. Such people often clash with the people around them because they think themselves to be an eighty, while others treat them as a fifty. One thinks to himself,” why are these people despising me?” and conflict ensues. On the other hand, if a person has been rated a fifty when he has only rated himself a thirty, they would always have a thankful heart towards those around him. And because people treat him and see him as a fifty, he would end up having good relationships with them.This is also true between a husband and a wife. “My husband is so great, and I’m so lucky this man has married a woman like me.” A woman with this heart will feel,” since my husband is better than I am in every way, if I tell him about my problem, he will take care of it,” whenever she has difficulty. She then tells her husband and begins to rest. She is able to have peace because it is now her husband who takes on the task. On the other hand, a woman who thinks,” I am much better than my husband. He is good for nothing,” she cannot entrust her problems to him whenever she faces difficulties and holds onto everything herself. She eventually ends up nagging and complaining about her husband. As she does this, she places the blame on him when things go wrong, and hides her own weak image.
Most people think,” I’m great. I’m smart. I’m honest. I’m good” they may not express it outwardly but inside they believe,’ I’m better than other in this.” The people who live thinking this way always want to give orders to others, but have no heart to listen to others. True wisdom is knowing your shortcoming. As we live, we need to meet people who are greater than we are, and we need to also experience failure.
When a person is wrong and makes mistakes, and realizes he is much more pitiful than he once thought, he becomes humble, sincere, and diligent. People who are still caught up in the taste of their own greatness do not listen to others and are busy pressing forth their own opinions. Such people are high hearted and don’t possess the ability to control themselves. They fall into gambling, gaming, drugs, etc and are unable to break free. When you are high-hearted and believe in yourself, you can only end up failing and being destroyed. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Do not just dwell on the first level of thought, thinking yourself to be great. You must realize just how much you really lack. When you change into a humble person, your life will become so much more rewarding.
Rev. Hyeonyong Choi
Director of IYF Nagaland
International Mind Education Lecturer
