Ego- Good or Bad? Or something else…?

This will be a relatively quick entry- just something that’s on my mind.

I think I hide it pretty well, but I’m a huge Mavericks and Cowboys fan- just FYI. Recently, I’ve read a lot about the good and the bad of egos in professional sports; not just the players but at every level.
Ex-Mavs coach Don Nelson and owner Mark Cuban are having a dispute about some $$- back wages, I believe. A story about this notes that its inevitable for men like this to have conflict, because its their ego that makes them both successful at what they do and susceptible to power trips and pride.

Another story about the current coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Wade Phillips, says much the same thing. It lauds him for being to humble to say it straight out, but makes note that he is supremely confident in his ability to turn the team’s defense around now that he’ll be more “hands on”. The writer then comments how its vital for an NFL coach, owner, player, etc, to have an ego, though it includes a good and a bad aspect.

I was with family a few weeks ago, and someone made a comment that many lead pastors have egos that are too large to allow them to ask hard questions about themselves and others and their church. Like: Are we making disciples of Christ? Are people growing in their walks with God? Is our church any good at what we think we are doing? Is anyone within our church’s field of influence maturing into the perfection that the NT talks about? Ego seems to be an integral part of leadership, yet can be the very thing that stymies leadership.

Add onto that Scriptures like “I must decrease and he must decrease” and “Take on the mind of Christ…he humbled himself” and “It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” and the whole ego question gets even harder.

Another lead pastor recently commented that he was too busy “leading the church” to meet with some brothers and sisters who were significantly struggling. The implication that he and his work were too important to take time with these Christians was impossible for them to miss- and disappointing and hurtful.

So, what do we as Christians do with ego? Those who seek to lead, to be strong, to be out front on the tip of the spear, to purposefully and confidently lead the Bride to be ready for the Groom- what happens to ego?

There is a set of elementary answers to this question, and a much more complex set. What do you think?