Pride

Humility is the exact opposite of pride.  And, when you read today's PW devotional, how awesome it is God used servants, the perfect picture of humility, to reach prideful Naaman!

 

All of us have the problem of pride.  Here's what God says about pride...

James 4:5-7 (English Standard Version)

⁵Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us? ⁶But he gives more grace. Therefore it says,"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." ⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1 Peter 5:4-6 (English Standard Version)

⁴And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. ⁵Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."  ⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Proverbs 8:12-14 (English Standard Version)

 ¹²"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
   and I find knowledge and discretion.
¹³The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
   and perverted speech I hate.
¹⁴I have counsel and sound wisdom;
   I have insight; I have strength.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (New International Version)

¹⁶ There are six things the LORD hates,
       seven that are detestable to him:

 ¹⁷ haughty eyes,
       a lying tongue,
       hands that shed innocent blood,

 ¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked schemes,
       feet that are quick to rush into evil,

 ¹⁹ a false witness who pours out lies
       and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

Proverbs 21:3-5 (English Standard Version)

³ To do righteousness and justice
   is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
    the lamp of the wicked, are sin.
⁵The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,
   but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

PlanetWisdom.com Devotionals

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Desperate: No Quest Required Posted: 16 Jul 2010 01:00 AM PDT "Naaman's servants went to him and said, 'My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!' So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy." (2 Kings 5:13-14) Naaman's servants were smart. Not only did they see their master's pride problem from a different perspective, they were able to help him see that perspective, as well. I hope those guys got a raise after this. With sincere respect ("My father," they said), they showed Naaman that he would have gladly climbed the highest mountain or crossed the widest ocean or gone in hunt of the meanest dragon to escape the death sentence that came with that spot of leprosy. So why not try an easy thing? It takes real wisdom to approach someone in authority over you to help him see that pride is getting in the way of what's best for him. And it takes real humility to listen to the wisdom of those who are NOT in authority over you. When Naaman finally humbled himself and quit demanding to be healed his own way, God healed him for free. Think: Are you available to those in authority over you as a source of wisdom? Are you humble enough to receive wisdom from your peers and others? Pray: Ask God to help you to grow both humble and wise. Do: Pack your stubborn pride in a box and mail it to Baton Rouge (unless you live there, then pick somewhere else).

Mary E.Hickcox
www.CalvaryBaptistSM.org
http://mary-neotes.blogspot.com/