One of the greatest rewards as a professor is seeing lightbulbs come on in a students mind. When a question is so pressing and the student feels compelled to seek an answer, the discovery of a life-transforming truth can be right around the corner.

Kelly sits in the front row of class. The topic of the day was pride. One of the quotes from a scholar on Richard Baxter, an English Puritan, was displayed on a PowerPoint slide. It read, Pride is associated with prayerlessness, [a] lack of thankfulness. Kelly pondered these words before this conversation ensued:

Kelly: Professor Jung, why do you think that pride is associated with prayerlessness?

Me: What is the purpose of prayer?

Kelly: Umto align our hearts with Lords!

Me: Yes! So what happens when we arent in prayer?

Kelly: Our heats arent aligned with the Lords.

Me: Yes! Which results in

Kelly: Pride

Yes! So, as you are in prayer, your heart begins to align with the Lords, which then leads you to walk in humility.

Kelly: Thats powerful!