Good morning Jesus, I desperately need your light today…
“As all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ property, and as a show make long prayers. They will receive a more severe punishment.” (Luke 20:45-47)
Jesus warns us against pride. The Greek word for “Beware” or “Be on guard against" above is a present imperative and indicates that pride is something that is constantly lurking and something we need to be constantly on the watch for and guarding ourselves against. Pride separates. It separates us from others and from God. Pride in things you have leads you to covet them, forget that everything you have is a gift from God, and cause you not to be generous. Pride in finances and professions leads to entitlement and a false rationalization that “I deserve this because I worked hard.” Pride in your heart leads to narcissism and placing yourself above others.
Our guard against pride does not come from comparison to others. We read this parable on pride Jesus taught a couple days ago in Luke chapter 18:
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ʻGod, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.ʼ The tax collector, however, stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ʻGod, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!ʼ I tell you that this man went down to his home justified rather than the Pharisee. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”” (Luke 18:10-14)
Our measure of our pride or lack of pride does not come from our comparison to any others or anything, but solely by our comparing ourselves to Jesus who gave us the example when; “He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross!” (Phillipians 4:8) We Compare ourselves to the cross. It was only in His complete obedience, complete humility, complete absence of pride that He was able to do the will of the Father. You can not be full of pride and endure people cussing you, spitting in your face, striping you naked in public, smacking you around, beating you, then slaughtering you on the cross. I would have “Bowed up”, Jesus bowed down.
“The sacrifice God desires is a humble spirit —
O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.” (Psalm 51:17)
“You should have the same attitude toward one another that Christ Jesus had,
who though he existed in the form of God
did not regard equality with God
as something to be grasped,
but emptied himself
by taking on the form of a slave,
by looking like other men,
and by sharing in human nature.
He humbled himself,
by becoming obedient to the point of death
—even death on a cross!
As a result God highly exalted him
and gave him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee will bow
—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—
and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians (4:5-11)
So forgive me Jesus when in my pride I read the passages above in Luke 20:45-47 and 18:10-14 and others come to mind and I don’t think they apply directly to me, in Jesus’ name. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.
My family, as we head into the final days of Holy Week and you honestly reflect on your true level of walking with Jesus, I pray you will confront the pride that resides in you. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I really would love to hear your reflections, and I believe they would encourage others. So please share your reflections and prayers with us from chapter 19 in the comment box below.
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