Alec Baldwin was kicked off an American Airlines flight on Tuesday because he was working on his ipad after the flight attendants told the passengers to turn off all electrical devices.  He must have had a good reason for not turning off his ipad.  This was Alec Baldwin, couldn’t the flight attendants make an exception for someone of his notoriety – he supposedly thought so.  Playing the game  “Words with Friends” however, did not qualify as an exception so Alec Baldwin was escorted off the plane.

Why did he think he was above the rules?  Why do so many of us think that we’re the exception to the rule?  Perhaps it’s human nature, consider these examples:

King Saul thought he could assume the priestly office

King David thought he could have Bathsheba who was another man’s wife

The Kings of Israel thought they could ignore God’s Law

Alec Baldwin thought he could ignore FAA regulations

I think I can break the speed limit because I have an important meeting

Etc.

Neil Anderson states, “The essence of sin is man living independent of God who has said that He will meet all of our needs as we live out life ‘in Christ’”.  Pride is the problem because we think we are above the law and we become our own law.  The dark days of Israel’s history was a time when, “. . . there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6, 21:25).

Alec Baldwin was clearly wrong and is not above the law just as none of us are above the law.  John Bradford saw prisoners being led to execution and he allegedly stated, “There but for the grace of God, go I.”  May I realize the pride in my life and realize that I am not an exception but I am called to walk in humility.  May I be guided by the wise words of the Apostle Paul, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).