Knowledge puffs up. It lifts the noses and extends the chests of those who believe they are right in their own eyes. But when the head is lifted high, our eyes are often not looking forward and down to see the obstacle in our path. Suddenly we trip—over our own feet! The obstacle appears to be . . . us.

During my career as a leader in secular higher education, I’ve had the unique opportunity to work in the university setting within institutions that pride themselves on sharing and gaining knowledge in order to better people’s lives. Through the years I have learned, however, that if we want to be leaders who truly connect people to Jesus, humility, not pride, is the key. Vulnerability, rather than intellectual knowledge, is the pathway to building relationships.

Pride Blinds Us to Our Weaknesses

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in humility value others above yourselves.
Philippians 2:3–4 NIV

As an academic administrator, it was part of my responsibilities, but also one of the great privileges, to attend graduation ceremonies. At one university, there was a wonderful tradition in which the dissertation advisor would come up on stage with the graduating doctoral student and place the doctoral hood over the student’s head as the degree was conferred. It was a high-water mark in the student’s life, and a moment accompanied by a sense of almost sacred solemnity.

It never failed to strike me, then, when a faculty advisor would be wearing shorts and sneakers under his academic regalia (rarely ever did the student dress so casually). You could easily see this because academic gowns are typically only mid-calf length. And I would find myself wondering, Don’t you realize that when you walk across that stage with hundreds or even thousands of people watching, your hairy legs and ratty old tennis shoes are right at everyone’s eye level?

We have all seen individuals who seem completely oblivious to their very visible foibles as they posture and position themselves in their organization or community. It is the classic illustration of the distinction between being self-focused versus being self-aware. Unfortunately, those who are the former generally lack the latter. When people put themselves on a pedestal, they proudly, but without awareness, also put their feet of clay on public display.

Many Christians are familiar with Scripture’s frequent admonitions to be humble, yet we all are susceptible to allowing our self-focus to blot out self-awareness. We all have these blind spots, and they generally seem to show up in the areas of our greatest strength.

A colleague once told a story about a faculty meeting in which there was a heated two-and-a-half-hour debate over what color the lines should be in the new parking lot. The point of the story was that people try to influence others from their greatest strength. In this case, the room was full of professors who were all used to being the smartest person in the room, able to out-reason everyone else. The result was a meeting that devolved into an intellectual donnybrook where the singular focus of those engaged in the conflict became being right. As passions aroused and tempers flared, relationships were severed all over a few cans of paint that none of the combatants would ever dip a brush into. Knowledge and self-righteousness bred pride and pride killed the opportunity for positive relationships.

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