Humility Verses Pride

Scripture

In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

~ 1 Peter 5:5 (CSB)

Quote

Humility puts others first.

~David Walls

This is coming up in my 1 Peter series but I couldn’t wait to share this. I’m about to do some major plagiarism. Most of the thoughts and some of the words come from the Holman Commentary and David Walls. It may not be word for word but in places it is close. I was impressed with Walls commentary. Charles Spurgeon said, “Humility is the ability to make the right estimate of one’s self.” An humble person is one who realizes his/her strengths, sees them as a gift from God and uses them to help others but at the same time, he/she realizes their weaknesses which makes them dependent on God and others for help. Peter is quoting Proverbs 3:34 from the Septuagint {O.T. translated into Greek} and this principle shared in Proverbs 3:34 is taught throughout the bible [Psalm 138:6, Mt. 23:12, Luke 14:11, 18:14 James 4:6, I Peter 5:5]. Chuck Swindoll says, “If you want more grace, submit yourselves to others and God.” Submission is God’s avenue of grace. God does not give grace to the proud. The Pharisees were rich in tradition but poor in grace. They had no cognitive way of receiving God’s grace: their pride was a barrier. Proud people invariably trust in themselves and in their strengths and abilities. They never see their own weakness or inability. Thus, they estimate themselves to be better than others. They consider themselves to be standards that others should follow. Although the proud are unaware of their attitude, others see their arrogance, self-centeredness, self-righteousness and air of superiority. Swindoll says that pride is hellish because it refuses to submit to any authority, unless it does so from fear or force. Our pride will never sit down and be quiet. It will be a problem until Jesus returns. This means we have to pray a lot and develop strong disciplines to keep pride in its place.

When Peter wrote this he must have had his own experience in mind. Jesus told Peter in Gethsemane, “Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” — Matthew 26:41 (CSB) Peter’s inordinate pride kept him from hearing what Jesus said. Peter had already boasted, “Even if everyone falls away because of you, I will never fall away.” — Matthew 26:33 (CSB) Due to Peter’s pride, [1] He slept when he should have been praying [2] He reacted rashly and in the flesh by drawing his sword and injuring a servant of the high priest and [3] he denied that he even knew Jesus three times. All three moral failure created shame and guilt; a shame that Peter would bear until his promotion. No wonder Peter has such strong words about pride, look what pride had cost him. After a while, even we slow learners learn that it is best to pray Mary’s prayer–“Be it unto me according to Your will LORD.” I’m tired of lining up ducks, of trying to manipulate people and circumstances. I learning to cast all my cares on Jesus the sovereign LORD and pray for His will to be done. I’m telling you from experience, I lived both ways and life is much, much sweeter when you submit to Christ and pray for his will to be done, not your own. People who dance with pride trust only in themselves. Inevitably, they want others to notice them, to emulate their example and to praise them for their virtue. They don’t understand that God hates such a disposition and He will withhold His grace. The end result is a miserable life filled with disappointment. Their incessant complaining and fault-finding is evidence of their misery. They are in desperate need of grace but their pride forbids it.

  • June said coming home last night, “We should be caught up on rain.” I had seen anything like this is quite some time. I can’t remember the last time I saw the sun. They are going to get 2 inches of snow in Cherokee where we lived from 1974-79. I hate we are going to miss it here: Hannah loves snow.
  • I drove to Huntsville and back yesterday and the traffic was awful. Why do people get out in this kind of weather?
  • Luke 14 this Sunday night…I guess it starts at 5:00 but I’m not sure.

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