The Apostle Paul smacks down the BAE …

Unless you’re familiar with research in the field of social psychology, you may have never heard of what is referred to as the “better than average” (BAE) effect.

Simply put, the BAE is “the tendency of a person to hold overly favorable views of one’s own intellectual and social abilities relative to others.”

Most of us suffer from BAE. J. Bruce Ismay certainly did, and it especially showed in his work. Ismay was Chairman of the White Star Line, owner of a fleet of luxury ships that included the RMS Titanic. In an argument over the design of the Titanic, it’s claimed Ismay said:

“Control your Irish passions, Thomas. Your uncle here tells me you proposed 64 lifeboats and he had to pull your arm to get you down to 32. Now, I will remind you just as I reminded him — these are my ships. And, according to our contract, I have final say on the design. I’ll not have so many little boats as you call them, cluttering up my decks and putting fear into the passengers.”

Ismay would finally reduce the number of lifeboats on the Titanic to just 16, grossly under what a ship like that would need in an emergency.

BAE got the better of J. Bruce Ismay and more than 1,500 people would perish because of it.

Having a “better than average” arrogance is a serious issue, which is why the Apostle Paul “smacked down” they very idea of it:

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves,” Philippians 2:3.

Paul would write something similar to the Christians in Rome:

“Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” Romans 12:16.

BAE is so ugly, and so serious an issue, that Jesus himself gave us this descriptive warning:

“When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: ‘When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, “Give this person your seat.” Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, “Friend, we have a better place for you!” Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted,” Luke 14:7-11.

In all honesty, do you think of yourself as better than average? Or have you heeded the exhortations from Jesus and Paul and learned to humble yourself?

Scotty