"Pride...It's My Favorite Sin!"
(Al Pacino as John Milton, AKA Satan, in The Devil's Advocate)
Our pride pride drives us to practice good hygiene, wear clean clothes that match, and do our best at work. But it has a dark side too. It leads us to become obsessed with our appearance, walk all over people in a quest to move up, and to believe we can get along just fine at work without God. When we focus on meeting our own needs first, we lose focus on who’s running the show and whose objectives matter more than our own. God. It’s our pride that motivates us to put ourselves first, to think “What’s in it for me” before getting involved in any project, and to constantly compare our pay and our status to others. As with most things, a little pride is good. But more isn’t always better. At work, it's what causes us to be overly assertive, to take unreasonable risks, and it causes us to lose sight of the big picture. Too much pride will get in the way of building a strong relationship with God. The more our focus is on us and our own needs, the less we consider Him and how to please Him. Next time you’re faced with a problem at work, ask yourself how your pride is contributing to the problem, and think about how you can manage your feelings better. For example, do you always have to have the last word in a meeting? That’s pride. I can promise you, it’s not a habit that wins you friends. You may be thinking “Yes, but…” and defending your actions. That’s another sign of pride at work. So before you go into the next meeting, say a little prayer thanking God for getting you to this point in the day and ask Him for strength to get through the meeting, for guidance, and for the ability to not dominate the discussion. Short prayers like that throughout the day will help you keep focused on Him as you work and help you grow stronger and closer to the Lord in faith. Think of something you can do to reward yourself for following through and making good on your promise to yourself. Maybe you’ll take a walk outside for a few minutes after the meeting, or read an article in a business magazine, or something else you’ll see as a bonus. The key is to replace the “you centered” behavior with another, less damaging behavior. Once you tackle one area, then move on to the next area that pride dominates your behavior at work. And be sure to thank God for giving you the strength to help you.
"Can you spare 7 minutes a month for God?"In the time it takes to walk to the soda machine and back to your desk, you can read The Mustard Seed. Each issue of this twice monthly e-zine delivers thought-provoking articles, simple tips, and great resources to help you focus on God at work and apply your faith on the job. Sign up now and receive a bonus! Get a free chapter from the e-book, Faith at Work, vol. 1: Triumph Over the Seven Deadly Sins. The book helps you to avoid falling under the spell of the Seven Deadly Sins at work. 
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