Maybe you remember the picture. There was this huge recording studio, filled with the elite of the music industry, all singing, “We are the world, We are the people.” Is it all coming back to you now? Just about anybody who was somebody (and a few who were nobodys) got together for a common cause and recorded this song.

As often happens, there was a piece done for television that showed how the whole event came together. The director made a statement that stuck with me. He said, “I put a sign above the entrance that said, ‘Leave your ego at the door. We’re here for a greater purpose.'”

Many years ago I came across a statement. I wish I knew who first said it. Perhaps the fact I can’t give them credit for their wisdom illustrates the point they made. The quote is this: “There is no end to the good that could be accomplished in this world if nobody cared who got the credit.”

My online American Heritage Dictionary defines “ego” this way: “Ego is the division of the psyche that is conscious, most immediately controls thought and behavior, and is most in touch with external reality. The word can refer to an exaggerated sense of self-importance. It is also can be used to identify an appropriate pride in oneself; self-esteem.”

One of the toughest things any of us have to deal with is the ego — others and our own. Few of us enjoy the company of someone who is egotistical — full of an exaggerated sense of self-importance. We instinctively want to grab a pin and plunge it into their balloon that is full of hot air! We want to bring them back to reality as we see it. We crave getting to see them get their come-uppance.

On the other hand, we long to have a proper, well-balanced sense of well- being about ourselves. We want to have a healthy self-esteem. Beyond that, we want to live our lives in such a way that we deserve esteem from ourselves and others.

The Bible has a lot to say about pride. Go through your concordance sometime and just run some of the verses that deal with pride — an exaggerated sense of self-importance. Excessive pride makes it difficult for us to get along with others. We can’t really hide our true selves from others over the long term. Our friends and family know what we’re really like.

• Excessive pride (inflated ego) makes it difficult, if not impossible for us to accomplish truly worthy goals. Our ego makes us insist on always occupying first place, getting special treatment, having our ideas recognized and implemented at the expense of everyone else. Surprise! Our ways are not always worthy of acceptance.
• Oh, if we could just leave our egos at the door and function as part of the whole. If we could give up our sense of self-importance long enough to listen to the opinions of others and cooperate with them “for the greater good.”
• Self-esteem is not a dirty word. My definition of humility is this: A proper understanding of our true worth and value to the Lord. We need not be perpetually deferential. God doesn’t ask us to be doormats for the world. He does ask us to acknowledge Him as the source of our gifts, abilities, and accomplishments.
• One good test of your own motives and need for ego gratification is wrapped up in your answer to these questions: When you do something good for someone else, do you look around to see if anyone is watching? Do you make sure others know what you did? Do you practice bowing to the applause of others that you expect to receive for your good deeds?

• Let’s leave our egos at the door. Let’s practice anonymity in our good works. Do we really care who gets the credit if the job gets done properly?

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