Humility

This was taken from "The Life You've Always Wanted" by John Ortberg

...When i try to do something good, I am intensely aware of it. And I tend to be aware of other people who aren't putting forth the same effort. Then I tend to think they should: I start to compare my effort with their sloth. The result is pride, comparison, judgmentalism, and a lack of love. (Ironically, these people may be 'more virtuous' than I in a thousand other ways; they may have recieved much less support and encouragement and teaching than I- But these thoughts are less likely to occur to me.)
One of the hardest things in the world is to stop being the prodigal son without turning into the elder brother. So how can humility be pursued?

Toaster

What is a toaster? Merriam Webster tells us it is an electrical appliance meant for toasting. We define what it is by what its function is. To be a toaster it needs certain parts that are unique to a toaster. It needs a timer of some kind, some form of dials or buttons, heating elements, etc. But ultimately those same parts could be made into a hair dryer or some other common appliance.
What is a Christian? The Bible tells us that a Christian is a person made new, meant for giving glory to God. To be a Christian, one needs certain elements of faith and belief that are unique to Christianity. One needs to believe in Christ raising from the dead, being One with God, Forgiving our sins, etc. But in the end, those truths are meaningless if we don’t believe them. The word 'believe' implies more than acknowledging truth, it means living out. We are not defined by the pieces we are made of, but the things we do with those pieces.