Letter 14

I found Letter 14 to be quite interesting and thought provoking. On page 71, Screwtape describes the topic of humility and what it really means. I found it very insightful to learn that to be humble is not to keep putting yourself down, but rather to be happy in all aspects of life, not being overly proud. He mentions the 'state of mind' that God wishes we embody; it is described by Screwtape with the example that God wants men to be "so free from any bias in his own favor that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbor's talents, or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall."

I thought this was an amazing passage. It really made me think about how I react when I've accomplished something great, as opposed to one of my peers accomplishes the same thing. I will truthfully admit that I am more excited about something that I do myself, be it a great art project or getting the starting goalie position on my hockey team. If my peer would to win a prize for one of their paintings, I would be happy for them, but not in the same sense as if it was my own doing. I think this is a part of human nature; since we are small children, we are told to take pride in what we do, and our culture is quite competitive. However, I do really see Screwtape's point, or rather what he says that God wants us to live by. It is important to have confidence in yourself, but you should try to be appreciative of not only your talents, but the talents of others. We are all created by God, therefore, when any one of us does something well, it ultimately glorifies Him. Finally, I don't think that I could ever make a waterfall or a tree.