While driving yesterday I heard D.A. Carson say, “What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight…” I pushed pause on my MP3 and meditated for a bit.
What the world values highly…
Power. Affluence. Popularity (AKA, “Platform”). Education & intellect. Physical beauty. Success.
All these things result in pride of heart…
What God values highly… (About now we should be asking ourselves, “Do I value what God values?” and “What is the effect of 
my values looking toward eternity?”)
(Power?) Show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (Ja 2:1-4)
(Affluence?) Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4)
(Education & Intellect? Popularity?) When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)
(Physical Beauty?) Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. (1 Peter 3:3-4)
(Success?) Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. they were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy— wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith… (Heb 11:35-39)
For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Cor 1:26-29)
(Pride) Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Pr 16:18)
Dear brother Ron it is unfortunate that the picture you you found is perceived as arrogant. This misconception takes place when one race tries to define another. Please take this criticism in the best of ways as I realize you have drawn your conclusion based on someone else view point. I don’t know in what context or circumstance the picture was taken I do know that it was not derived from a place of haughtiness. Arrogance is a learned behavior which my people cannot subscribe to because we are to busy trying to overcome the minusha life continually throws at us. For all that has been placed before us as obstacles not of our choosing but because far to many Americans refuse to see that it took all of us to build this nation some willingly and others by force, nevertheless it took all of us. We (my people) have put the past behind us are are working toward a better tomorrow, while others ( not my people) still linger in yesterday. Please my brother do not play their game especially considering who you and who’s WE are. Don’t let others dictate your perceptions for if nothing else you know me!!!
My dear friend Ralph, it is unfortunate that you assumed the post was about race when it was NOT written with that in mind at all. The last thing I do with each post is find a picture or two that relate in some way to what I’ve written. That you made such an assumption is as unfortunate as me choosing the picture I did. As you rightly wrote, you too know me as I know you. I do apologize for my selection offending you, that was not my intent. Such is the nature of impulsive decisions and jumping to conclusions. Consequently, rather than take the picture down I added one for equal time. I hope you can read the post for content. I give you my word I will try to be more careful when choosing pictures after writing a blog post. Blessings my friend.