I love these silly Facebook quizzes! Usually, they get something right. This one got nothing right. My strengths, they say, are gentleness and tolerance and my weakness is trusting too quickly.

Couldn’t.Be.More.Wrong.

Upon receiving my results I literally laughed out loud. I shared this with my friends who also laughed hysterically and one of my best friends even said, “Why would you take a princess quiz when you aren’t even a princess to begin with?!”

This does not hurt my feelings at all. In fact, I am writing about this because as I have stepped back, I realize this is a huge sin issue: Pride.

When I am around people who are super positive, sweet, gentle or lovey-dovey, I gag. This immense and uncontrollable desire to be as cynical and sarcastic as possible is an involuntary reaction. I mean, before I even have a chance to think about it, sarcasm just starts dripping off my tongue.

AND I AM PROUD OF THAT!

Everyone wants to be good at something. Whether that be singing, dancing, sports, teaching or being the person who is known to be sarcastic. I have told many people that I have the spiritual gift of sarcasm, honesty and above all realism. SPOILER ALERT: these aren’t actual spiritual gifts.

“You have been deceived by your own pride.” Obadiah 1:3 NLT

Pride is a tricky sin. It is a sin that, most of the time, can be hidden. This is dangerous. It means that I have the ability to bask in sin without anyone knowing. It allows me to slip under the radar and for my accountability partners (AKA my friends), to be completely unaware. But the Lord is completely, fully and shamelessly aware. Proverbs states that, “The Lord detests the proud; [and that] they will surely be punished” (16:5 NLT).

Pride materializes itself in many areas of my life. It leads to comparison, gaining an identity from something, or someone, other than God and finding satisfaction in the flesh. When I come into moments where cynicism, honesty and sarcasm begin to protrude, I physically feel different. I am not sure how else to explain it but I can feelthe attitude, pessimism, and hatred seep in. Countless times I have said statements that I don’t even agree with just to OPPOSE the other person!! What is wrong with me?!….AND I LOVE IT!

When I got Belle as the princess that I most resemble (94% in fact) I was sort of mortified. This is not how I identify myself. I take pride that I have these unbreakable and impenetrable walls. I am proud to say that 99% of people who know me don’t really know me. I am proud to say that I have the ability to use sarcasm as my defense and to my advantage.

“Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil” Proverbs 16:6 NLT

In reality, Belle is who I should strive to become. I need, desperately, to become more loving, caring, gentle, tolerant, compassionate, serving, trusting and FREE. Free from pride and free from control and free from fear. How? Through prayer, diving into the Word daily and being in constant communication with the God that I am designed and made after.

You don’t know me, but maybe it’s time that I start letting you GET to know me.

Grace Prindle