Day 12 Pride vs Humility

Does a humble heart get God's attention? When we allow pride to enter our lives, that's a doorway to disaster in having a relationship with God, but when we go humbly to God, that's when He helps and guides us.

We recently went to the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster to see the story of David. I have always loved this story, and it has helped me through some very challenging times in my life. Watching it come to life was absolutely amazing.

In putting this together with Luke 14:1-14, it all clicked for me. We basically are talking about Pride vs. Humility. For instance, we all know that David was a man after God's own heart, but David was also very human and went down the wrong path, just like we all have done. He slept with a friend's wife, got her pregnant, and then killed the man so he wouldn't find out what he had done. For a year, David took no responsibility for his actions until God sent Nathan to tell him that God knew everything he, David, had done. God wasn't happy about what David did, but he still loved him and believed he was the right man to be king of his people. Saul was not like David in one way. Saul let his heart be affected by human pride. Saul wanted things his way and blamed God for leaving him instead of humbling himself before God and asking for his forgiveness. How many of us are like that? Samuel said in 1 Samuel 16:7, "The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." God knew David's heart as he knows yours.

Today is a fast-paced world, and we all want to have a front seat at the table of life. We want to be rewarded for the things we do, but we have to remember being humble isn't a weakness. Being humble doesn't mean we think less of ourselves or have to put ourselves down; it means we don't have to think of ourselves at all. Jesus was trying to get everyone to understand that taking the seat that was the least actually means we get a seat of honor with God. You can't go by this world's standards to get you there. You have to go by God's standards.

It might do us good to look a little closer at David's story and how he started walking again with God because he humbled himself before God. This means if David can do it, we can do it too, and it starts by getting down on our knees and humbling ourselves, repenting, and asking God to come into our lives.

It helps us to read the Word of God every day. Then we learn scriptures like what Paul wrote in Philippians 2:3-8 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature, God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

Jesus always considered himself a servant of God, and so did David and also Paul, who is considered one of the greatest apostles who ever lived. So, if we apply their servant perspective to our own lives, where do you think God will lead us?

Let's Pray;

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the way you love us. Even though we are not perfect in any way, you love us still. We thank you, Lord, that you guide us and help us to better understand your ways through your Word. Thank you that we are able to put our pride aside and humbly come to you every day and even when we forget ourselves all we have to do is ask and you are there for us ready to take us in. Thank you, Lord, for all you do for us. In Jesus Holy name we pray. Amen.