The Poison of The “I” Disease

When you drink the poison you are plagued with the disease. The poison is pride and the disease is the “I” disease. I deserve.., I need…, I am…, I did this…, I have…, I went…

With the “I” disease one symptom is the name dropper. Gucci, Prada, Michael Kors, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana drools from your lips.

Product prices protrudes from your mouth. I paid $10,000 for this watch… I paid $1000 for my bracelet… it was 65, 000 for my car… this gold chain is $500. Many purchases or dealings have led to the price paid.

I haves haunts the heart. I have a handsome husband with a great job, I have a housekeeper, I have a house in the Hamptons, I have two 401Ks and over 500,000 saved for retirement.

The above examples are very extreme cases. And for the record, there is nothing wrong with owning nice things, being happy for being blessed and achieving accomplishments. However, if you constantly remind people of your name brand designers, how much you spent or what you will spend on specific items, you may be plagued with pride and have the “I” disease. Let me tell you, many have drank the poison and have the sickness, but unaware they have it. Strangely, they can quickly identify those negative qualities in others.

Pride is an inordinate self-esteem, an unreasonable conceit of one’s own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, rank or elevation in office, which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others. Pride is a chief characteristic of the devil. And he uses this tool to stricken the unsuspecting individuals.

Why are some people plagued with this disease and others are not? Selected people have:

• Low self-esteem, they must publicize their value.
• Struggled through life, now they have the opportunity to do and have things, so they announce to the world they have made it.
• Snobbish tendencies, purposely looking down on the less fortunate.
• Fraudulent behaviors, making people think they have money. Generally, this group is one paycheck from being homeless.
• The attitude of “I am all of that”. They want people to see their glamour, glitter and gold.
• Made life all about them.

If you have been clueless to the “I” disease now is the time to take the antidote, humility. Zip your lips. Stop verbally announcing what you have and the amount you paid for the items. Allow others to compliment you. Learn to take the focus off you and place it on others. Compliment people often. Voice their value. Announce their achievements.

Watch out. If you continue to have a lifted up persona, thinking you are better than others, waving your wealth, flashing your fame or voicing your value you may be headed for a ray of reality, a humbled heart, a path of poverty or a ship of shame. God does not like a proud look or behavior. Those who do not take heed will be halted.

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 King James Version (KJV)

Avenues of Awareness 

Reflection Road

• Do you find yourself dropping designer names and prices to others? If so, do you feel like it’s harmless?
• Has someone told you about this habit? Or, do you associate with people who does the same thing so it’s a battle of who can name the most designer items owned and who paid the highest amount for a specific item?
• Try to remember a time when you couldn’t afford pricey price tags and someone constantly reminded you or their exorbitant lifestyle. How did you feel?

Devil’s Drive

The “I” disease came from the devil, Lucifer. He was cast from heaven.

¹² How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! ¹³ For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:13-14King James Version (KJV)

World’s Way

It was a time when it was taught to know who you were inside. Have a good heart, then work on the outside. Today’s world is different. The world encourages to forget about the inside, be all you can be on the outside. If you can’t be important look, act and talk important. People are drunk with this attitude going out and spending money on expensive items to feel important.

There is nothing wrong with allocating funds on name brand items. They are of good quality, they last longer and are fashionable. But if you purchase these pieces for bragging rights. You may have a problem.

Personal Pathway

I loved living in New York. God granted me the opportunity to enjoy many intriguing and impressive experiences. My “I” disease started when I moved away. I constantly reminded people of the things I did in New York. I did this…, I did that…, I lived here…, I went here…, I went there… Watching any movie or television program filmed in New York. I could identify something that I did in those surrounding areas. Not realizing, I had drank the poison and had the disease, in my opinion, I was voicing my ventures. One day when I was going on about a New York based program, I looked back at my not-so-captured audience, they had glazed eyes as to say here we go again. I zipped my lips and kept my thoughts to myself. And, to this day I try to be mindful of the “I” disease in all areas of my life.

Lord’s Lane

• ¹⁶ These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
• ¹⁷ A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
• ¹⁸ A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
• ¹⁹ A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.) Proverbs 6:16-19 King James Version (KJV)