STEEMCHURCH:Pride and humility
Pride hurts not only those who suffer it but also those around them. Pride deprives us of living a life full of harmony with others and enjoying our loved ones; and worst of all, it does not allow us to approach God. Almost nobody likes to be next to someone who is haughty and considers inferior to others.
We are going to see in these biblical studies some characteristics of pride, its consequences and what is the best way to take it.
I. What is it and what is pride like?
Pride is a defect inherent in all human beings. We all have pride on different levels. These are some of the things the Bible speaks about pride:
A. It is contentious. Proverbs 13:10.
B. Precedes dishonor and humiliation. Proverbs 11: 2; 16:18
C. He is presumptuous and mocking. Proverbs 21:24
II. God and pride
A. God hates pride. Proverbs 8:13
B. God punishes the proud. Daniel 4
Daniel chapter 4 is an extraordinary passage that talks about how King Nebuchadnezzar practically believed himself a god. The story tells that he had a dream and the prophet Daniel interpreted it. After interpreting it and revealing to King Nebuchadnezzar that he must recognize that only Jehovah is God, this king continued with his pride and suffered a very humiliating punishment: he became like a beast and went to eat grass with the other animals.
Until one day he finally recognized that he was nobody and that only Jehovah was the only God. After that God in his mercy restored him.
In verse 37 King Nebuchadnezzar exclaims that only "he can humiliate those who walk with pride."
III. God and humility
A. God gives grace to the humble. Proverbs 3: 34
B. God guides the humble. Psalm 25: 9
C. God attends the humble. Psalm138: 6
D. God exalts the humble. Psalm 147: 6
IV. How to exercise humility?
A. Not having a superlative concept of ourselves.
Humility also does not consist in walking with false appearances. Talking about what we know how to do, how we are and what we have learned in this life is a practical way of knowing ourselves. In this way it will be easier to develop a concept about how we are as people.
B. See others as superior to us. Philippians 2: 3
This does not mean that we should have some kind of inferiority complex, no. It is about not seeing your neighbor as if I were better than him, because we are all equal before God. Here plays a very important role to love our neighbor as ourselves.
C. Accept the correction. Job 5: 17
D. Humble ourselves before God so that it is he who exalts us and not us ourselves. James 4: 10.
Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. We have all learned that he being the king of the universe and with everything at his disposal, decided to humble himself to come to dwell with man - who purposely received him badly from his birth - and gave him his time, healing of many diseases, liberation , resurrection of the dead and most importantly, the salvation of our souls.
Jesus gives us an example in everything. Today perhaps reading Christian messages like these you say 'yes, I know that', the question is, is he living it? Am I living?
The kingdom of heaven is for the humble, so we must exercise this principle to find grace before God.
Supposing there was a group of people traveling about your area, led by a charismatic speaker who claims that the world is ending soon. He promises he alone can save you, but only if you sell your belongings, devote the rest of your life to him, and cut off family members who try to stop you.
He also wants to change your name, advises you to leave your home/job if necessary to follow him, and says that if you don’t love him more than your own family, you’re not worthy of him. What sort of group is that?