Balloon Boy – A lesson in humility
I’ve been reflecting on the still unfolding “balloon boy” saga. What a mess. I was worried with so many others when the news broke. I was relieved when I heard the balloon was landing, then saddened when I heard the balloon was empty, then angry when I read yesterday that the police said the whole thing was a hoax. How could somebody do something so manipulative just to get their reality show noticed? How could they use their kid as a pawn in such a game?
With a little distance though, I’m coming to a truth that I need to explore about myself. These people went to great extremes to get noticed, to achieve their fifteen minutes of fame, to be in (or return to) the spotlight. They crossed the line. But what about me? What do I do to get noticed? What am I willing to compromise?
I am one who stands up in front of a group of people on a regular basis to speak and/or sing a song. I am also one who writes blogs, devotions, newsletters and articles, and one who would like to write professionally. I also share my thoughts on Twitter and Facebook. I’m not going to put my son in a balloon anytime soon, even though he is 13, but what am I willing to do? Am I just trying to get noticed or am I doing what God is calling me to do? Am I sharing Him, or am I promoting me?
There’s my struggle. What about you? How do you keep your ego in check? Are you willing to bend the rules to get a promotion? Are you willing to look the other way to avoid a conflict? Are you willing to leave out parts of the story so that you look better? Our egos can tempt us the cross the line. It’s probably a good idea to think through where that line is for you and ways you might already be crossing it without even knowing it.
Not too many of us are going to pretend our child has flown away in a flying saucer balloon so that we might get our fifteen minutes – that’s extreme. But lots of us are willing to bend the rules a little to get what we want.
Maybe balloon boy has a lesson for us all. A lesson in humility.
Tags: balloon boy, ego, humility, pride