Liminality

Pride is essentially competitive; it’s competitive by its very nature.  We are not prideful because we are rich, clever, or good-looking.  We are prideful because we think we are richer, clever-er, and better-looking.  It’s the comparison that makes us proud. C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity , The disciples are comparing talents in Mark 9.  They’re debating who’s greatest in the kingdom.  They’re debating who God loves more.  And it’s competitive by nature.  C.S. Lewis calls this pride, and scripture says it is the deadliest of all sins.  Pride is to think you are better, more righteous, and more important than the person beside you.  It is to think you deserve something no one else does.  It is to look in the mirror and see more than what is actually there.   And I think this is why the disciples, when Jesus asked what they were talking about, remained silent.  They looked upon the face of Christ and admitted with shameful silence that they were debating their place in