ROMANS 10 CONFESSION LEADS TO FAITH AND SUBMISSION

August 24

ROMANS 10

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:1-13

ROMANS 10 CONFESSION LEADS TO FAITH AND SUBMISSION

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you hear the word of God, harden not your hearts

God’s word is not far from you; it is within you and in your mouth

If you confess and speak it out loud, it will be declared and heard

Those who hear it will be led to the truth that comes from God

As soon as you hear it, receive it and don’t resist but obey it

It will lead you to believe in the Lord as you begin to know him

Say it out loud so your whole being will be revitalized and awakened

It will make you hungry for more truth and transform your sinful nature.

In verse 3, Paul gives us the reason why many people do not choose to believe in God. Self promotion and ambition stop humans from acknowledging the existence of God. They do not know God and the reason for their lives.  In verse 8, Paul locates where the word of God lives. It is in our hearts and in our mouths. Solomon speaks about this in Ecclesiastes 3:11, when he said that God has put eternity in our hearts. A commentary says that this verse means that we possess an innate knowledge that there is something more to life than what we can see and experience in the here and now. It just aligns with how God created us. He made us in his own image as Genesis 1 says, man and woman alike are all made in the likeness of God. God didn’t create animals in his image, but humans. If he created us like him, we have a spirit and knowledge that knows God, who is our Maker. If Adam and Eve didn’t sin, we will still have that knowledge of a Higher Being who made us, but sin thwarted that and made it look like we can be on our own, giving ourselves our own glory instead of praising and worshiping God.

REFLECTION

  • Why is it important to confess the word of God and not just read it as this account explains?

JOHN 7 IF YOU DO GOD’S WILL

August 23

JOHN 7

16 So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17 If anyone’s will is to do God’swill, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18 The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. 19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel at it. 22 Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man’s whole body well? 24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” – John 7:16-24

JOHN 7 IF YOU DO GOD’S WILL

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you struggle to obey God’s will

Pride is lurking inside you to defy him

The absence of humility leads to mutiny

By nature, man resists God because of rivalry

He is envious of God’s power, so he defies him

But if you do God’s will, you will be free from sin

Only your creator knows what is best for your life

If you don’t submit to God, you open doors for strife.

According to sources there are over 100 bible verses on obedience and dozens of other key verses that refers to it. Why does the bible talk so much about obedience? The laws of the Lord require obedience. Without obedience, the fulfillment of his promises cannot happen. Many people think that laws and commands are about making one’s life hard and difficult. These people who have this mindset do not see the big picture about the function of these laws.  They serve as protection against the bad and to keep living peacefully. This is how the civil and government laws were made. They were to punish those who do evil and give justice to those who are being oppressed and treated unjustly. When we are given laws, it is for our own good, but the enemy has thwarted and twisted the laws because Satan wants to proliferate evil. In the book of James, he mentions that obedience is the prerequisite for the devil fleeing away from us. We cannot resist the tactics if we don’t believe and follow God’s protective plan through his laws. We are opening doors for the enemy to infiltrate our minds and hearts through disobedience. That is exactly how Adam and Eve were enticed to go against the prohibition to eat from the tree of life.

In this account, John narrates Jesus’ response to the religious leaders about his teachings. These insecure Pharisees question the truth because they do not have it. So, Jesus told them that if they follow God’s will, they will know that what he is teaching is from God his Father himself.

REFLECTION

  • What happens to those who claim they are Christians but never follow God’s commands?

PROVERBS 37 COMMIT & SUBMIT TO THE LORD

August 22

PROVERBS 37
Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday. – Proverbs 37:1-6

PROVERBS 37 COMMIT & SUBMIT TO THE LORD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
As you receive the invitation of the Lord Jesus Christ
You will be transformed and experience a new life
The word of God will become alive in your heart
It will correct and direct you into the obedience of God
Nothing else matter and you will trust and commit to him
As you make a habit of obedience, you will overcome sin.

In this saying, Solomon makes us dwell on faithfulness. There are many key elements of being faithful to someone you love. Some of these are: trust, obedience, delight or joy, thankfulness, patience and commitment. Why are these all important to show that we love someone. We cannot claim that we love somebody and not manifest it in action. We can’t say that we love someone when we are suspicious and protective of ourselves that this person may hurt us. That is a lack of trust. We can’t also say that we love someone when we don’t consider their well-being and do what they request that is good for them. We can’t say that we love someone when we don’t even invest time to spend with them and delight in their presence. We cannot claim we love if we are not grateful for their presence in our lives or even let them know how much you need them. We can’t claim that we are in love if we are impatient and not committed to stay in the relationship when things do not go as you expect it to be. In other words, it doesn’t give up as the love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13 defines love.
When two people decide to get married, they give up their singlehood and commit to the inclusion of another presence in their lives. This is why the marriage vows are covenantal. It is not just an agreement but it has a depth in its commitment and responsibilities. The vows are just the beginning of the continued love, trust and commitment to each other for life. This is also true for the believer’s life with regards to his trust, obedience and commitment to the Lord.

REFLECTION
• Can someone submit and commit to someone they do not love or believe in? Why or why not?

ACTS 17 TO RECEIVE THE WORD IS TO OBEY IT

August 21

ACTS 17

10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. 13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Berea also, they came there too, agitating and stirring up the crowds. 14 Then the brothers immediately sent Paul off on his way to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained there. 15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed. – Acts 17:10-15

ACTS 17 TO RECEIVE THE WORD IS TO OBEY IT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you hear the word of God, do you get excited?

Do you accept it or do you doubt and question it?

To receive the word of God is to allow its transforming influence

When you haven’t examined and followed it, you remain unchanged

When the Spirit of God dwells in you, his word inevitably transforms you

When you were not chosen to be his servant, you won’t accept the word

To take the word eagerly means that you’ll apply what it says and obey it

To reject it would mean that you deny the truth and you won’t be free.

The writer in the book of Acts narrates the story of how people responded to the word of God. The Jews in Berea received the gospel very differently from those Jews in Thessalonica. What’s the difference? They received the word of God eagerly. Notice the word eagerly? What does it mean to be eager? Let’s imagine a child who was given a promise that she will receive one of her wishes as a birthday gift. You could picture her being so excited and waiting until the day she gets that gift. She probably won’t be able to sleep as she guesses which one among her wishes will she get. She’ll visualize what she would do as soon as she gets that gift. That is probably what the writer is illustrating here on how the Jews eagerly received it. Enthusiasm and expectancy were present when they received the word. They knew that the word of God would change their lives. It wasn’t a passive waiting but a looking forward to how God’s word would prove true to their lives. In verse 12, when the Jews in Thessalonica heard that Paul had proclaimed the gospel in Berea, they came and caused a stir. In other words, they didn’t receive the word of God when they heard it spoken to them by Paul in Thessalonica. They became envious of the Jews in Berea because they didn’t accept God’s word with much enthusiasm and eagerness.

Many Christians hear the word, read the bible regularly and yet live unchanged lives. What does that tell us about their faith?

REFLECTION

·       Why do some Christians stay unchanged despite hearing the gospel?

TITUS 2 OBEY GOD’S SOUND DOCTRINE

August 20

TITUS 2

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

                                                                                        – Titus 2:1-10

TITUS 2 OBEY GOD’S SOUND DOCTRINE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Remember all the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ

Obey them so that the word of God may be alive

God stipulated these doctrines so your life may be well

He wants his people to be models of good works

Submitting to sound teaching will guard you from evil

Being subject to God’s word gives you victory over the devil.

Many religions don’t always teach sound doctrines. I’ve had my share of experiences with churches that do not follow the word of God in their practices. This brought about so much confusion in me when I was in the search of a church that truly honored and submitted to the word of God in their teachings. It was one of the reasons why I was asked to step down as a bible teacher in a church because I dared to confront the pastor on why someone who doesn’t even profess her faith is teaching the word of God. It was when I studied at an online bible college that I began to understand and discern what was true and what was false teaching. Many Christians do not truly study the bible and expect growth in their faith. This is a sad fate for so many of us who claim that we are believers.  In 1 Timothy 6:3-5, Paul warns us of the danger of false teachings when he said: If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

In this letter of Paul to his spiritual son, Titus, he gave the believers a detailed instruction on how to be obedient to sound doctrine. Without honoring and submitting to the inerrancy of the bible, we will fail.

REFLECTION

  • What happens if our life doesn’t manifest submission to the truth that comes from God’s word?

PROVERBS 24 OBEY & FEAR THE LORD & AUTHORITIES

August 19

PROVERBS 24

19 Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.

21 My son, fear the Lord and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise,
22 for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both?

                                                                                 – Proverbs 24:19-22

PROVERBS 24 OBEY & FEAR THE LORD & AUTHORITIES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord your God created all things good and wonderful

He made his creation for his own pleasure and purpose

When sin entered the picture, his design was ruined by envy

The plan for mankind to bow down to God turned into jealousy

The curse on the act of sin made humans full of pride and rebellious

Submission to God and authorities became compromised and tedious

So, God gave mankind a solution to obey and fear him through Christ

Only in Jesus can we fear the Lord and submit to authorities given to us.

In this wise saying, Solomon points out the prevalence of envy and jealousy in humans. If we go back to the garden in Genesis when the first sin of our parents happened, we will discover that the cause for disobedience was envy. Satan was envious of God’s power and provision to mankind. What’s the basis of this statement? These are the following verses that give us a picture and background who Satan was:

  • Luke 10:18 -And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
  • Revelation 12:9 -And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
  • Isaiah 14:12 -“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!
  • 2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment
  • Revelation 12:7-9– Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Now, from these verses, can you deduce that the reason why Satan enticed Adam and Eve to sin is from his envy over the power that God had when he was thrown down from heaven? This jealousy made him compete and defy God’s authority and get humans to be on his side against God’s authority.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think it is hard for us humans to easily obey and submit to authorities?

2 CORINTHIANS 12 SUBMIT TO GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

August 18

2 CORINTHIANS 12

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave itto the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. – 2 Corinthians 12:9-21

2 CORINTHIANS 12 SUBMIT TO GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God called you as his servant, he becomes your King

You are now a new person who willingly submits to him

You no longer crave for what is gratifying; instead, you obey his commands

Because God is love and is righteous, you now succumb to what is good

You now hate what is evil and hold on fast to do what is right

You now let go of control and let him rule over your entire life

No longer do you make a habit of sin, but follow his word

You think less of yourself and is now concerned with others.

In this letter of Paul to the Corinthian church, he gives them a guideline how to submit to God’s righteousness. Many people do not have a servant’s mindset and heart. Some Christians think that they have accepted Jesus in their hearts on their own accord, as if it was their own doing to say yes to God’s invitation to be part of his people. When I became a Canadian citizen and pledged my allegiance to Queen Elizabeth as my sovereign leader, I began to understand the difference coming from another country. I made a vow to honor and follow the Queen and be loyal to her and her successors for as long as I am a Canadian. I had to let go of the old system of government that I was used to and realized what sovereignty means and why it is important to submit to the authority assigned to me by God himself.

Paul stressed to the Corinthian believers that their allegiance is no longer to themselves or earthly rulers, but to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. He urged them to love genuinely and hate what is evil and do good instead. This is what it means to submit to God’s righteousness. It means to have a passion for enthusiasm to do the work of the Lord which is to bring the gospel and to love and build each other up for the sake of the unity of the church and being ready for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He also asked them to be humble and care even for your enemies.

REFLECTION

  • What does submission to God’s righteousness look like in a believer’s life?

2 CORINTHIANS 10 SUBMIT YOUR THOUGHTS TO OBEY CHRIST

August 17

2 CORINTHIANS 10

 I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away! — 2 I beg of you that when I am present, I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. 3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.  – 2 CORINTHIANS 10:1-6

2 CORINTHIANS 10 SUBMIT YOUR THOUGHTS TO OBEY CHRIST

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

A child of God recognizes that he is made in God’s likeness

God gave us a mind that is not fearful, uncontrolled or anxious

Instead, we are given a sound mind that has power and is regulated

It does not listen to lies or succumb to anything that rebels against God

God’s child submits his thoughts into the obedience of Christ

He does not rely on his own understanding that is so limited

He does not claim any credit for what only God is able to do

He obeys the word that comes only from the mouth of God.

In this account, Paul explains spiritual warfare that happens almost regularly if not moment by moment in our lives. Few Christians probably have a soldier mindset because they haven’t approached life as a battlefield. It is easy to fight someone you see, but Paul explains in verse 4 that we are not dealing with enemies that we see but they are unseen and they exist in the spiritual realm. So, if we are not aware of this battle that is waged against us on a daily basis, how can we win the war?

Paul gives us a weapon to wage war in Ephesians 6:10-18 by spelling out the armor that we need to wear if we are soldiers for Christ which includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace coming from the gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation which is the word of God and to pray at all times on every occasion.

There is another very important weapon that we can also constantly use against the enemy. Paul explains it in verse 5. It has something to do with our mind. The battlefield actually starts in the mind. That is how Satan attacks us. Remember how the first sin of Adam and Eve happened? It was the seed of doubt that was sown in their minds that made them question the provision and promise of God. The devil twists God’s words and makes it appear like it is true when it is half-truths. They are still lies because some parts of the word are twisted. Paul wants us to hold our thoughts captive into the obedience of Christ.

REFLECTION

  • What does verse 5 mean when it says to destroy arguments against the knowledge of God?

PHILIPPIANS 2 OBEDIENCE TO THE POINT OF DEATH

August 16

PHILIPPIANS 2

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. – Philippians 2:3-11

PHILIPPIANS 2 OBEDIENCE TO THE POINT OF DEATH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Can you emulate Christ in his humility and obedience?

He was meek by giving up his divinity and becoming human

He did nothing from his own but followed his Father’s will

He was obedient to the point of death to clear us from sin

By sacrificing his own life and surrendering to the Lord

He fulfilled the salvation plan of God to overcome the world

God exalted Christ because of this and gave him a name above all names

Jesus’ name will be confessed by every tongue and every knee will bow.

Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi and warned them from selfishness and pride. He gave a clear instruction on how to do so with the following:

  • Do things out of love for others and not out of our selfish ambition and promotion
  • Prioritize other’s needs instead of yours
  • Be concerned about the interests of others genuinely
  • Do not think highly of yourself but remember that God is All-knowing & Sovereign above all
  • Serve others just like how Jesus served all humanity by reconciling them with God
  • Empty yourself of conceit and be of service to God by serving others
  • Confess that Jesus is Lord and grow your dependence on him
  • Bow down to the authority that God has placed in your life

It is easy to be human but hard to be divine. Jesus was both divine and human and yet didn’t sin at all in his life here on earth. He did something that we can never do on our own: empty himself and became a servant and have the likeness of humans. He obeyed his Father’s will to the point of giving up his own life so that all of humanity will be reconciled with God.

REFLECTION

  • What are some ways we can obey God’s will to the point of death?

1 PETER 5 HUMILITY IS SUBMISSION TO GOD

August 15

1 PETER 5

5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 5:5-11

1 PETER 5 HUMILITY IS SUBMISSION TO GOD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When you serve the Lord Jesus Christ, you are to follow him

He surrendered to his Father’s will and gave up his divinity

He humbled himself to set an example for us to emulate

Though he was King of kings, he continued to be obedient

He suffered for us so that we would be reconciled with God

He submitted to God’s plan of salvation in order to free us

To be humble is to walk in love and surrender to the Lord

When we are proud, we are not submitting to God.

Because of sin, human nature tends to be proud and arrogant. Without God, nobody can claim that they are meek. Manifesting humility is never an ability or skill that comes from humans. It is a divine work. We always think of ourselves first than others and it is God’s Spirit that makes those whom he chooses to think less of themselves and think more of others instead.  We cannot fabricate humility and submission. It is the work of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of those who believe in God. Without faith, we can never do what is right and true. Our first parents made us selfish because of their disobedience to God. Let us never forget that without believing in God, we can not have the ability to be sacrificial and generous to others. That is why those who do not know God will have no chance to exercise obedience, submission and humility.

In this account, Peter reproves the young to submit to their elders. He also encourages them to exercise humility. What does humility mean? Peter explains in verse 6 that to humble oneself before God is to be free from anxiety but to cast all of them under the might hand of God. Unbelievers would never comprehend what this means because to be humble is to submit to someone you look up to. It is the opposite of pride in which a person would never bow down or give in to someone else other than themselves. The proud can never submit or surrender to anyone because they think so highly of themselves and the center of attention is on the self. It doesn’t see anyone else.

REFLECTION

  • Can a proud person have the ability to submit or surrender to someone? Cite examples.