Foolish Pride

   “How would you like to live in a house instead of this apartment? asked my husband. “Can we afford to rent a house?” I replied. As my husband filled me in on the details I was thrilled. A house, (instead of a second floor apartment,) with a yard for the children to play in, it all sounded perfect.
   “Where is this house?” was my next question. I couldn’t I believe it when he told me. It was in the same neighborhood that I had lived in as a child up until sixth grade. It was a neighborhood made up of mostly Polish speaking people. And being we could only speak English we were always treated as outsiders. Maybe things had changed over the years.
   I was a little apprehensive as we moved into the house even though I was thrilled that God had provided for us in this way, I wanted to show these ladies that I was a good wife and mother but roost of all that I was a good housekeeper and that’s when I got into trouble.
   One thing that seemed very important to these older ladies was being FIRST to hang their laundry out. How I wish that just once I could get my clothes on the line FIRST. The truth of the ratter was that I was always LAST to hang up my long line of clothes. With three very small children to feed and dress, the morning was half over before I got the first load of clothes out.
   It began to eat at me, just once I’d like to beat them all, then I would be satisfied, They would tell everyone that I was a good housewife and I would be happy. I needed a plan. Bow could I accomplish this great feat? You see by now I NEEDED to be first! I finally had a plan, this is what I would do.
   I’d wash my first load of clothes the night before, then I’ll put the second load in while I was hanging out the first load in the morning. For my plan to be successful I would need to be done before the kids woke up. I went to bed excited, I just knew it would work.
   The next morning I quietly slipped downstairs (I must not wake the children), and opened the washer. Everything was going great but wait, what was that funny smell? It was my clothes! Anyone who has left something wet in the washer on a hot humid night knows exactly how they smelled. I would have to wash them all over again! “Mommy, I hungry.’ a little voice said. Today I would be LAST, as usual.
   Plan 2. What if I not only washed the clothes the night before but hung them up after dark. It just might work. Row, I wouldn’t be able to use the light, you understand, because then the neighbors would know what I was doing. This plan will work I just know it will. I felt a little guilty about the deception but I rationalized that I would have more time with the children.
   With the children sleeping soundly in their beds I began washing clothes. As I took them out of the washer I carefully put them in the laundry basket according to size. Yes, neatness counted! As soon as I was sure it was dark enough, arid the next—door neighbors were in bed, I started hanging out my clothes. I was exhausted by the time I had finished but it was worth It, I was thinking.
   The next morning I quickly fed and dressed the children so we could go outside. “Good morning! My you got an early start.” said one neighbor. I just smiled. My plan had worked! Soon the whole neighborhood knew that I had my laundry out FIRST.
   Now I could back to being last again, I had said "just once” hadn’t I? Well maybe just one more time to be FIRST.  It had felt so good.
   Soon fall had come and gone, winter was fast approaching. I was still hanging up my laundry at night so I could be FIRST. But now I had a problem. The weather man said possible snow tonight. If I hung up my clothes and it snowed tonight there would be no foot prints in the snow and everyone would know I was a” fake”.  Maybe LAST wasn’t so bad after all
   Pride has a way of creeping into our lives and taking control. I had not started out planning to get involved in the sins of pride and deception and yet this is exactly what happened. What a humbling experience it was for me to realize what I had done. It was just a little thing wasn’t it? I John 1:9 was the verse I needed most that day “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” My pride was foolish but then is pride ever wise.