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The more I am aware of my flaws, shortcomings, and flat out sins, I am realizing that the great majority of them stem back to one thing. They may not seem related on the surface, but when I dig into why I am doing what I’m doing it all comes back to the same thing. My impatience, my disrespect to others, my unapologetic rudeness, all have the same basis, and that is Pride.
I think my time is more important than your needs: Pride.
I think my way is right, so I refuse to bend: Pride.
I am rude to you because you are not important enough to be considerate of: Pride.
I want to help certain people because it looks good on me, but not others because they are not really worth my time: Pride.
I make certain decisions based on how people will view me as a result of those decisions: Pride.
I accomplish some pretty cool stuff and the praise I get for it feeds my fleshly desire to be acknowledged: Pride.
Romans 12:3
For I say to every man that is among you, through the grace given unto me, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think…
I like to think that I’m a pretty humble person, but then I look closer at some of my motivations and realize that what is motivating me to act in a certain way is because I think I’m more important than I really am.
Philippians 2:3
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
I can tell if I am having a humble heart if I do not need to do things to impress other people, and if I am willing to serve others no matter what their status is according to our society’s standards.
There was a king in the Bible that wasn’t living for God, but God was using him to accomplish a purpose He desired. The king got all proud like “Look at me and all I’m accomplishing. I’m so amazing.” He never realized that the power he had came directly from God for a purpose beyond him. This is what the Lord said through a prophet concerning that attitude:
Isaiah 10:15 –
But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it? Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it? Can a wooden cane walk by itself?
Any good that I do comes directly from the power of God working through me. If I was kind today, if I was wise today, if I prospered in my business, or if I was patient with kids, it wasn’t because I am such an amazing person and you should be so impressed with me. It was because God’s grace was sufficient in my weaknesses to make me strong in those areas.
I like myself and I feel good about myself because of God’s great love that He has poured out on me. But I shouldn’t feel like I am entitled to certain things, or shouldn’t have to stoop to certain things because I think I’m so important. I can’t be rude to other people (even young people) because I think they aren’t deserving of my respect. When my motivation is impressing others with how great I am in any area, I can be sure there is pride involved.
When I fail to acknowledge God for the good things happening in my life, I am no wiser than an ax bragging about how amazing it is at chopping. I need God and the good I have in my life comes from Him. I’m no better than anyone else, so I don’t have the right to be rude, selfish, disrespectful, or impatient.
Jesus, You were the ultimate example of humility. You are King of the universe and You are God. Yet, You lowered Yourself to become human and not only that but You served the lowliest people here on earth. You didn’t think of Yourself as too great to serve and a servant is no greater than their master. Please teach me to get my eyes off of myself and my needs, and please help me look for ways to serve other people and share Your love in every situation.