WF Pride

Focus on Unity and Humility

Chad Cottingham

Have you ever been around someone who just rubbed you the wrong way because of their pride? They were so arrogant and self-absorbed that their love for themselves oozed out in their words as every story and every situation was about them. Their actions are also self-seeking as they are only concerned for themselves. As you interacted with this person, how did they make you feel? Did they value your feelings, your concerns, your family, or did they even notice? Probably not.
A person that lacks humility is easy to spot and hard to be around. Most of us can admit we have encountered someone like this and it wasn’t pleasant. But pride can also take on different forms that are not quite so obvious, but many of us struggle with, such as the need to always be right, never wanting to admit fault and shifting the blame. These are a few of the ways that pride creeps into our lives.
Our Lord is very clear about the issue of pride vs. humility. Look at the story of King Nebuchandnezzar found in the book of Daniel in the Old Testament. His pride led to his downfall. As he (King Nebuchandnezzar) looked out across the city, he said,” ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor’” (Daniel 4:30). The story continues, “But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory” (Daniel 5:20). The king then lost everything! He lost his sanity, lived in fields, ate grass like a cow, his hair grew long like eagle feathers and his nails became like bird claws. As time passed, however, King Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven and finally praised and worshiped God. Then his sanity returned and he was restored to his position with even greater honor.
“Dear Lord, help us to be humble and unified in all we do. Help us to eliminate all pride in our lives. Thank you for the story of King Nebuchandnezzar to warn us how damaging pride is and help us to learn from his mistakes. Thank you for being the true example of humility and for loving us, even in our pride and sin. Amen”