The Vain Man’s Greatness

You can receive honor from other people’s flesh by feeling great when you are together with “important personalities,” and when they are absent, to mention your connection and your acquaintance with them with pleasure. Oh, the hypocrisy of it: letting other people’s fame and greatness fall on you. I wonder if such fame enriches your life in God?

Again, one can be ashamed of other people’s flesh because one feels one is above certain people. It would be a shame to be mentioned together with them. If they are present, you feel “uncomfortable”; if the person is more distant, you can keep your worthiness by making it known and by a condescending mercy toward him. But if he stands close by, my worthiness in other people’s eyes is at risk, as if a person’s worth should depend on what others say about me.

Many people will want to be honored with those who are great, but who wants to be honored with those who are “small.” 2 Sam. 6:22.

Many people demand to be honored by those who are “small,” but they honor those who are “greater” for the sake of their own honor. However, who can place himself between those who are greater or lesser without measuring his own greatness? And who can do this without being a judge with evil thoughts?

Many people bear this label: “Give to me! Give to me!” They have to have honor, whereas the poor man receives no honor.

Seeking honor is to lead people’s attention to what I consider to be something in my life. Seeking honor is to approve of other people’s flattering words about me. Both parts have the effect of tickling my well-being in the flesh and increasing my estimation of myself in my own eyes.