There is an old Proverb in the Bible that states, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” The definition of humble is pretty simple. Humble is not thinking so highly of yourself, not being proud or arrogant but having a modest opinion of yourself. The definition of pride says it can be a vice or a virtue, but it is a feeling. A feeling that you respect yourself or you are more important or better than other people.
If you look at the headlines or listen to the news channels, do you see a lot of humility with corporations, central bankers, Olympic athletes, politicians, everyday citizens…anyone? Do you see more humility or more pride? What about in the mirror?
Where DO you see pride as you go through each day? When some of us see a lack of humility we just turn our back and ignore it. Sometimes we disconnect with people who are prideful and sometimes we are drawn in closer. Pride can be seen as strength. Pride is a banner people are waving these days and it is being encouraged. Gay pride, racial or ethnic pride, pride in your sports team or your country. But where does legitimate pride start to run outside the lines and divide people and serve as a conduit to think of yourself as better than others and not equal to them? Remember, those are the proud God opposes.
The current parade of pride can also make some people become ambivalent towards others. When pride is displayed in the wrong fashion it can make you disassociate, turn you off and care less. Someone’s pride CAN make you oppose them. Opposition is active, it is resistant. Opposing something gets in its way, hinders and obstructs. How we respond to others pride can reveal our true heart. God opposes the proud, so why shouldn’t we?
Most people don’t care to oppose something unless it affects them. It’s tougher to oppose a thing for very long if you don’t think you can affect it. The election comes first to mind, but what else? Not many Americans give two cents about the Bank of Japan owning 50% of the ETF’s (exchange trade fund) in their country even if it means they may indirectly own 20% of Japanese companies. And why SHOULD anyone oppose this?
Here we go with monetary policies again…but, don’t tune out before the big picture. There is an overdose of pride among corporations, sovereign nations, politicians and everyday people. When a bank opens thousands of fraudulent accounts it is pride and greed that is the impetus. Printing more money and buying financial assets with the proceeds can result in state ownership of production and consumption, and is a way to introduce socialism or communism. Many government policies assuming they can boost growth have proven to be prideful attempts that have failed around the world.
Current fiscal actions are nothing more than pride run amuck. Pride has found a way to go unnoticed because people don’t care about things until it directly hits them. Low and negative interest rates serve to increase unfunded pension liabilities that will need a savior. The removal of cash from the public WILL make you more dependent, all under the guise of rooting out criminal activity? A QE (quantitative easing) induced manipulated stock market that does anything but go down is a prideful attempt to keep the masses complacent and buy time.
The real question is..if pride is at or near the root of what we see from 50,000 feet and God opposes the proud, what’s up?? What are YOU doing about it as well? Keeping your head down? Are you trying to save enough money and get to retirement? Are you hoping it will all just solve itself? Are you waiting until it DOES affect you or your children?
Now, about that mirror. Pride is sooo much easier to see in others than in ourselves. Are you glad or proud you don’t have to understand monetary policy implications? Are you happy or proud so much of the world doesn’t really affect you? Are you content or proud that you are able to live above the noise of these concerns? Are you thankful or proud that you aren’t fighting any real opposition? Personal lives assuming they are beyond the impact of macro induced policies can be havens of veiled pride.
Until some of these issues come home to roost in your house there is only one way to find out where you have a pride issue. The Psalmist wrote in 139:23-24… “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Believers need to know and live out what God taught and revealed through His son, Jesus Christ. If there was ever ONE word to describe Jesus, humble comes close. The other word is love. Jesus didn’t teach us to oppose pride, in fact often to the contrary. He and His disciples remind us to have nothing to do with prideful people. He didn’t say to oppose them, but He did say to be “devoted to one another in love”, “in humility consider others better than yourself” and to “pray for each other so you may be healed.”
Don’t know what’s going on anymore…don’t care? Prideful that you aren’t affected and don’t have to care? Turned off by all the pride you see? Get on your knees and humble yourself by asking the Holy Spirit to show you where HE sees pride. God gives grace to the humble…and opposition to the proud. Make sure your heart and actions are rightly aligned.
Grace or opposition? Which do you want? Which do you need? Which are you receiving?