Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Todays Lesson Is?

So I feel like God is wanting me to talk to the kids about 4 different things that can get in the way of listening to Him. The first was idolatry, and I talked to them about it last week. This weeks topic will be the one of pride. So I thought I would write out some thoughts on pride and what scripture says about it.

I suppose what I want to start off would be with what I wrote down as some notes to my study. This is more of a thought concept and probably could use some tweaking.

Is pride wrong? I would say no, that ultimately pride is a neutral thing. We can be proud of our country, proud of our friends and family, and even proud of our own accomplishments, and no one would look upon you in a negative light. However, when we are full of pride, when we start to believe (even subconsciously) that we do not need anyone's help (especially God's), that is when we are sinning.

That being said, here are a few thoughts on pride:

Pride is not limited to being a sin or being good. Just as conflict can be neutral, so is pride. The real difference between wrong and right comes with what you do with that pride. People who typically think they know everything, who always have to be right, who feel like they don't need anyone's help because they can do things on their own, are arrogant and naive. In fact, experience has shown, and I think many would agree that people who claim to know everything, really know nothing at all. Sure they may have a lot of knowledge, but do they truly know something?

Pride separates us from God, just as all sin does, but I find it interesting that there is a verse that States that God keeps His distance from the proud. Psalms 138:6 says, "Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar." (NIV). Intriguing to say the least. If God keeps us at a distance during our times of pride, how hard would it be to hear Him amongst all the noise of self? Just a thought.

Thirdly, God will break people of their pride. It's just what He does, and thank God for the many times He has broken me of my pride. I was so blind until He did that. In Proverbs we can see that God Hates arrogance and pride, and in Psalms 119:21 we see that, "You rebuke the Arrogant, who are cursed and who stray from your commands." and in Job 40:12 "Look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand."

I would say its painfully obvious that pride can and often does get in the way of being what we are commanded to do. We are called to be servants (Mark 9:35), we are commanded to be humble and show love to others (Micah 6:8), We should not boast, but if we must boast, then boast in the things of the Lord and not ourselves (2 Corinthians 10:17-18). As Paul states, "I will boast in my weaknesses" so that I may give all honor to him.

Pride comes before the fall, but grace flows down upon the humble. May we all be truly humble, to see ourselves the way God sees us, and not thing anything more or less of ourselves than what we are. Ragamuffins, pursuing an amazing and wonderful creator God.

Grace and Peace

No comments: