Biblical Reflections · Christian Life

Growing proud? Please, a call to humility

6 min read, approximately

Deuteronomy 8:11-18 ASV
“Beware lest thou forget Jehovah thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: lest, when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thy heart be lifted up, and thou forget Jehovah thy God, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; who led thee through the great and terrible wilderness, [wherein were] fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not; that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end: and [lest] thou say in thy heart, My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember Jehovah thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as at this day.”

The Lord of Lords, the wonderful and mighty King, is so abundantly good that even when humanity was consumed by wickedness and deceit, given over entirely to sin and completely separated from God, his response was simply: “I will rescue them; I will save them!”

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17)

We were all lost; he gave our lives direction, meaning, value, and a reason to exist

“Jesus said to him: I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

He paid the price that you and I should have paid

“They sang a new song, saying: You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you redeemed us for God from every lineage, language, people, and nation. You have made us kings and priests for our God, and we will reign upon the earth.” (Revelation 5:9-10)

His grace and mercy reached us

“But you are a chosen lineage, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people acquired by God, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of the one who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10)

He equipped us

“Let each person use the gift they have received to serve others, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10)

He did all this and more out of love

“For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift, not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

He gave us so much, but let us not be mistaken: nothing is ours; everything belongs to God!

“Now, our God, we praise and honor your glorious name. For who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to offer such things willingly? Everything is yours, and we give you what we have received from your hand. For we are strangers and sojourners before you, as all our fathers were; our days on earth are like a passing shadow. O LORD our God, all this abundance we have prepared to build a house for your holy name comes from your hand, and everything is yours.” (1 Chronicles 29:13-16)

Therefore,

“Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many powerful, not many noble. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no one might boast in his presence. It is through him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written: Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Pride?

You and I were chosen from among the lowly and despised so that no one might boast in his presence!
Your heart grows proud, you forget the LORD your God, and you say: “My power and my strength have brought me this wealth” Pride?…
Let us not be foolish, for God is the one who gives wisdom to humankind.

“Daniel spoke and said: Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for power and wisdom are his. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those with understanding. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him.” (Daniel 2:20-22)

Pride? Let us not be mistaken: none of the glory is ours; all of it belongs to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Please,

“Acknowledge that the LORD is God; he made us, and we did not make ourselves. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalms 100:3)

So, have we fallen into pride and arrogance?
Be careful! Let us let go of that weight before we fall, for everything we have has been a gift from God! Let us not be confused!
“The path of the upright turns away from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life. Pride comes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to share plunder with the proud.” (Proverbs 16:17-19)

Growing proud? No pride, please… a call to humility.

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May God continue to bless you, and may you keep enjoying an excellent day in Christ Jesus!