Pride.
We know it goes before a fall...and that it is one of those seven deadly sins. But do we really grasp how easily it slips into our minds and hearts?
Dustin Benge, on his twitter site posted the following list of “Forms of Pride” and it was a real eye-popper.
1. Self-appreciation: “Look at me!”
2. Self-sufficiency: “I can do it!”
3. Self-glorification: “I look great!”
4. Self-attention: “Listen to me!”
5. Self-validation: “I am right!”
6. Self-seeking: “Give me mine!”
7. Self-adoration: “Praise me!”
How often do we find ourselves uttering one of those phrases...though sometimes we are much more subtle in how we think it. Instead of “Look at me!” we might be thinking something like “I hope they notice how much I contribute to this process.” Instead of “Listen to me!” it might be more of a “Don’t you realize that if you hear what I am thinking then everything will be better.”
I’m pretty sure that each of us, if we judge ourselves with sober judgment, can recognize some of the many ways we demonstrate our own pride. I fear, though, that we don’t recognize the gravity of our pride...I know I usually don’t.
Was it not pride that led Lucifer to lift up his heart because of his beauty which led to the corruption of his wisdom by reason of his splendor (Ezekiel 28:14-19)?
Was it not pride that deceived Eve and led Adam to consider that the eating of the forbidden fruit might make them like God, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:1-7)?
Was it not pride that would not allow Cain to recognize the failure of his sacrifice (of the fruit of the ground) to be acceptable in God’s sight, and that led him to murder his brother, Abel (Gen 4:1-8, 9-12)?
The list goes on and on. In fact, we don’t have to continue reading very far to see that pride pushed our forefathers away from God so quickly that in 12 generations God condemned the corruption of nearly all of humanity (Gen 5 and 6). We too easily believe ourselves to be sufficient in ourselves.
Pride is such a deadly threat to faith, that the Scriptures tell us that God does not tolerate it. In fact it is more than simply not tolerating it and so rejecting those who practice pride. We are told that God actively opposes the proud (Jas 4:6; 2 Pet 5:5).
Do we not do the same, in a sense, when something we create doesn’t serve the function for which we created it...don’t we try to fix it, and if we cannot fix it, do we not destroy it?
God is the Creator, and as the Creator, the chief end of our lives is to glorify Him...forever.
We can be encouraged by the promise that immediately follows the warning: “But [He] gives grace to the humble” (ibid).
It is through this great and precious promise that we see our God who wants to give us all of the grace we can bear; for He exhorts us “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Pet 5:6). He promises that “when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Pet 5:4)
Furthermore, Peter reminds us that “He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, to that by them [we] may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust” (2 Pet 1:4) which is the byproduct (consequence) of pride.
My prayer for you today is that the Lord would help you to live in His promises rather than in your own self-sufficiency. For it is through His work in us that we become partakers in all that He desires to give.
Heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ (Ro 8:16-17). How could anything be considered more incredible than this? How could our present sufferings be worthy of comparison with the glory that is to be revealed to us (Rom 8:18). For even ALL CREATION anxiously longs for the time when the Sons of God will be revealed (Rom 8:19).
Can you fathom that thought? That all of creation is caught up in “anxious longing” to see the work of God in you...is beyond incredible.
Consider the heavens, the work of His fingers...the sun, moon and stars that God has ordained. With all that God created, the thing that He is willing to crown with majesty and glory is One who became a man (human) (Ps 8).
Would you pray this with me today?
“Oh Lord! Help me to remember that you are the One whose name is magnificent and majestic. Let me not dare to think that I have any sufficiency in and of myself. Let me yield myself to you in all things, trusting that You (the Magnificent One) know better how to use me (whom You created) for the greatest benefit of, and glory for, your work here on this earth.
In the daily sufferings that surround and invade my life, help me to remember to trust in You, the True and Faithful One. Help me to lift my eyes to You, as Peter did when He stepped out of the boat and walked to Jesus. Help me not to focus upon the waves of distress that surround my life, and so sink into despair, even as Peter sank into the waters.
Instead, help me to keep my eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith, trusting in Him to lift me up and set my feet on the Rock, the Solid Ground.
Help me to set ALL of my faith on “Jesus’ blood and righteousness.” Not trusting “the sweetest frame,” but “wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”
It is in this wonderful name, the name of Jesus, that I pray. AMEN! And AMEN! |
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