There was a 4th grade girl who came home from school and was so excited because she had been voted “cutest girl in the class.” She came home the next day and was thrilled because her classmates had voted her “the most likely to succeed.” And on the third day she came home and told her mother she had been voted “the most popular” in her class. But on the fourth day she came home sullen and unhappy. Here mother asked her if she had lost in a contest that day. The young girl said, “Oh no, I won the vote again.” The Mother said, “Well what were you voted this time?” The said I got voted “the most stuck up.” C.S. Lewis once said, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and of course, as long as you are looking down, you can’t see something that’s above you.” Pride is often the drug of self. In the love chapter of 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul specifically says that one of the things that love is not…is proud. Paul warned his young associate, Timothy, about how people will become in the days when we get closer to the end of this journey of humanity on the earth as we know it. He said that people will love themselves…and their money! They will become boastful and proud. And that will rot away their relationships with God and family. This pride will bring with it ingratitude, lovelessness, unforgiveness and lack of self-control. And people who fall into this will become cruel and hate what is good. And as they are puffed up with pride, their love will be for personal pleasure rather than God. Sounds a lot like our world right now, doesn’t it? Remember that pride can be a powerful narcotic. In James 4 we are reminded that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humility is demonstrated in the whole life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Our purpose is to be conformed to his image. Choose humility over pride. And let God lift you and honor you. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
2 Timothy 3:2-4 NLT For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. (3) They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. (4) They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
Remember, I’m praying for you today….
PJ
2 Timothy 3:2-4 NLT For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. (3) They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. (4) They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
Remember, I’m praying for you today….
PJ