“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:10)
Have you ever felt yourself puff up with pride? Maybe you received an award at work, or a compliment on your parenting, or a positive comment on your outfit?
Maybe you take it in stride and say thanks graciously. Or maybe you blush and stammer, but secretly you are more than a little pleased with yourself.
It feels nice to be recognized, to be appreciated and even (if we can admit it) envied. Our heads swell and we walk a little taller, glad that someone has noticed how hard we work.
Then, it all falls apart. Our overblown pride pops like a pin-pricked balloon.
Someone lodges a complaint against us at work. Our child throws an epic tantrum in the middle of a birthday party. We realize that our jeans’ zipper has been undone for half the day. Ugh.
As awful as these things are, I consider them a reality check. If I can’t remember who should get the glory for my accomplishments, then I don’t deserve the accolades.
We can do nothing without God. For each of our good choices, God is working in us and around us. So remain humble in the face of compliments and remember who really gets the glory.
Pride is a powerful force, but also a distracting one. Keep your eyes fixed on the Lord and He will lift you up and show you things you would never reach under your own power.
Have a blessed Monday!
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