Pride and Humility

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , | Posted On Monday, January 18, 2010 at 7:59 AM

In today's Life Journal reading from Luke 18, Jesus tells the story of a Pharisee who exalted all his "holy" habits and actions. He made claims about the sins he had not committed and how he fasted twice a week and tithed a tenth of his income. All very noble...but it seems his biggest reason for doing it was for show. To look good before others.

At the same time a tax collector, whose lifestyle was despised by the Jews, stood before God and humbly declared his sinfulness and sought God's mercy. He was open and honest with God about his struggles, his lifestyle, and his regrets.

In telling this story, Jesus concludes with this: "I tell you, this sinner (referring to the tax collector), not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." (vs. 14)

I have to admit I have found myself in the Pharisees shoes before. Proud of my accomplishments, my position, I may not have bragged about them a lot, but I felt very self-satisfied and was quick to accept the praises of others.

But it seems that the longer I travel this journey, the more I experience God "breaking" me. He shows me how self-seeking my attitude can be. He convicts my heart of pride. And He works very little in my life. In fact, whatever outward accomplishments I gained were all I gained because I sure did not have the applause of heaven nor its power in my life.

These days I'm becoming more and more aware that my talents and abilities - the things that in the past earned me the applause of men - are woefully inadequate for doing real works for God. The more I know, the more I know I don't know. I'm discovering there is really very little that I actually do myself that has eternal significance. Yet, when I feel over my head, when I call out to God for help and rely on Him, He does greater things through me than I ever did on my best day. The more I step aside and offer myself to God, the more He does in and through me. He uses the talents and abilities that He gave me for His purposes, not mine. There's no room for pride - it's all actually very humbling.

I still battle pride. I think my pride is a way I try to compensate for my own insecurities. But, more and more I'm trying to simply trust God and allow Him to do His will in and through me, and then be sure to give Him all the glory for whatever good occurs. Maybe that's why this story from Luke resonates so much with me. I really want to be more like the tax collector than the Pharisee. I want to be humble and trust in God's strength rather than mine. I want Him to get any glory that is due. I know how easy it is for me to fall back into "Pharisee" mode.

I don't know if you battle this same struggle, but my sense from Scriptures is that a lot of us do. On this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, it's important for me - a white male - to see my proper place in God's plans. It's important for me to not look down on anyone, regardless of their race, place of origin, job, economic status, etc. I have no special place as a white male, as a pastor, as an American, etc. I am who I am simply by the grace of God, and if I do any lasting, meaningful work, it is Christ in me that causes and accomplishes this. To God be the glory!