Managing OUR Ego
Wes Wick
We talk a lot about purpose and resilience in later life, being realistic about physical challenges that come our way, while still having a heart to take on new challenges.
Mel Johnson, a dear friend in ministry, epitomizes this resiliency and purpose by writing his first book, Walk Softly: Ego Management in an Egocentric World.
Mel had been motivated to write a book earlier in life but found many good books already written on specific topics he considered. On the pride/humility topic, though, few books stood out, which helped catapult him forward.
Amazingly, Mel is 91. And he’s now already working on his second book (same topic but more specifically directed to spiritual leaders).
Some of the material in this first book emerged from his years of pastoring and teaching, but mostly God gave fresh insight as he wrote. What a blessing to witness creative energies still flowing at 91!
Sometimes when seeing a book title, our minds immediately race to others who would benefit from reading and absorbing its contents.
While writing, though, Mel concluded that “pride is everyone’s problem. No matter our personality type, our sin nature inclines us toward self-centeredness.”
He also shared this primary truth:
“The more we understand the importance of honoring God and the more we long to give Him glory, the more effective we become in overcoming self-centeredness. Honoring God is our highest calling, and we need His help to fulfill that calling.”
Confident that our affirmation won’t inflate his ego, :) we salute Mel for writing this timely book in his tenth decade of life.