Quiet Confidence

So much of what determines how promoted a thing is in the world today depends upon how loudly that thing clamors for attention and promotes itself.  "Swag" has become the buzzword in sports and entertainment.  Gone are the days of humble superstars like Bill Russell and Cal Ripken Jr.  Now we deal with self-aggrandizing athletes like Lebron James and Alex Rodriguez.  How much braggadocio you exude will often determine your place in the food chain.  This trend of "look at me" and putting self first is diametrically opposed to Bible teaching.

There is nothing wrong with having confidence.  A man has every right to the natural self-confidence that he gains after devoting his time and energies to achieve.  However, this confidence need not be an overt attitude of "look what I've done".  The true confidence gained in giving your all and succeeding will be an inner peace and sense of fulfillment.  This self-worth cannot be gained any other way, but it has to be earned.  It cannot be achieved through the compliments, praise, or laud of others.  The praise of men is but a shallow ringing in the ears that fades away and is soon gone.  To place too much stock in it is folly and self-deception.  Pride puffs up.  True confidence keeps you hungry to get better and do more.

Pride tells you that you are the best; confidence urges you forward to get even better.

The quiet confidence you earn from working to achieve does not need to trumpet itself.  The good work you do will be its own testament to success.  Oftentimes it is those who have actually accomplished little and are capable of the least that blow their own horns the loudest.  The one who is possessed of true confidence feels no need to seek for the approval of others because he knows that even though his past accomplishments may have been good, his next will be even better.  This is because he does not have pride whispering "you have arrived" in his ear.  Do not be deceived by those who seem to clamor for attention the most with boasting and self-promotion.  This will be a sign that there is really not much there worth your while.

The Bible teaches that pride comes before a fall.  Having confidence is necessary if you want to achieve great things.  We must be careful that we do not allow a good confidence to crossover into being an unjust pride.  Pride will often puff up a person because it bases worth on comparisons to others.  Keep yourself humble by comparing yourself to the measuring stick of the Bible and Christ- these are the only comparisons that matter.  If the Bible says that the best I can do is filthy rags, then what right have I to become boastful?  Stay quietly confident in yourself and in your will do work to achieve.  Shun the vainglorious, self-promoting tendencies of the wordly culture.