“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble” Daniel 4:37 ESV
Nebuchadnezzar was a great Babylonian king, who ruled a vast kingdom containing many subjects and possessions. He was extremely wealthy, had significant political clout and could do pretty much anything he wanted. He was an absolute superpower.
But his heart was plagued with pride.
And although he had everything, he failed to realize that everything he had was given to him by God. He looked at his enormous kingdom and exclaimed with the very breath God had entrusted to him; “is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”; in other words: ‘look how great this kingdom is that I have built?’
Although very few of us have amassed as much wealth as he did, how closely does his statement resemble the conversation going on in your heart? If it is anywhere near this, you probably need a heart check.
Pride is extremely deceitful and can cause a world of trouble because it blinds and lies; all whilst presenting itself as being higher than it actually is. But even worse than this; God detests pride.
In fact, 1 Peter 5:5 ESV tells us that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Opposition to God stands in stark contrast to the life that God desires for us; which is true communion with Him and meaningful community with each other. And pride stops us from doing any of these things because we forget our need for God, and we see ourselves as greater than our neighbours who we deem no longer worthy of our lofty lives.
Our pride will always alienate us from the relationships that truly matter to us, and that will always cause friction, if not in this life then it will be the next (which is a lot more permanent this one we currently live in). This is a sub-optimal outcome that will deprive us of the fullness of life, potentially for eternity. And although pride begins by showing itself through a seemingly 'small' and ‘simple’ thought, or a ‘harmless’ action, pride builds and grows until it becomes a beast that destroys our souls.
But you have a chance to stop it and you have a chance to reclaim humility; one of the most underrated virtues of our times.
You have a chance to reclaim your soul, because if you walk in pride you will be humbled.
So my friends, “humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,” 1 Peter 5:6 ESV, because you do not want to be resisted by God.
_ Takunda
Comments