Humble Pie

I had lunch with some friends today. Saw their offices, visited about business, the church, families. Great day, great lunch. I was interested that there was a ping pong table in the foyer of their business. Hmm. "What is that for," I asked. [dumb question] She told me that it was a great de-stresser and that after lunch we should play a game.

Well, I am going to be 50 this year, but when she offered a game of ping pong, something inside me smiled. Yes I have arthritis in my ankle and I have had cataract surgery on both eyes, but I used to be pretty good at ping pong. This should be fun. After all, she is a girl. Let the games begin.

As soon as the practice volleying began, it was clear that this is no ordinary ping pong opponent. "Ok, no problem, I am up for a challenge," I thought to myself. You know a man has to defend his honor.

Before I knew it, the score was 13-7, and she started slacking off. I gave her the speech. "Don't you go easy on me, I want to beat you fair and square. I will come back and win this game and you will be sorry. Let's see what you got.... What's wrong, ya getting tired?"

She grinned. I hardly scored another point the rest of the game.

It was clearly time to go. Holding back a tear, I told her thanks for the visit, the lunch, and for the ping pong lesson, a dessert of humble pie. Come to find out, she was the men's champion of her college.

There is a moral to this story. Pride cometh before a fall.
"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt
to every man the measure of faith." Romans 12:3

God has a way of putting us in our place. We need to let Him do that. We are not as smart as we think. And we aren't as good at ping pong as we thought either. If you doubt me on that, I can set you up with a young woman who will give you a lesson in the game.