One of the things that I love about the gospel is how it is a wrecking ball to human pride. Our hearts gravitate towards self-absorption; our culture fuels our narcissism. The gospel comes along to shatter both.
If you know that you are accepted by God, not because of what you have done but based on the sheer mercy of God, it destroys any sense of pride or entitlement in your heart. If you know that Jesus had to bleed and die to keep you out of hell, it is difficult to boast about your accomplishments.
And so it is natural as Paul explains what a gospel-centered life looks like, it is natural that he would say simple things to remind us about the incompatibility of pride with Christian faith.
“I give you this warning: Don’t think you are any better than you really are.” (12.3)
“Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” (12.16)
I heard someone say yesterday that if he could give counsel to people in their 20s he would say, “you are not as smart as you think you are. But you have more potential than you could dream.”
How can these two go together? How can I have so much potential if it doesn’t come from my intelligence and skill? The answer is that it comes from somewhere else. It comes from my capacity to humble myself and learn from others. It comes from my capacity to get out of the way and let God be God.
We are not as smart as we think we are. We are more flawed than we could imagine. But we are more loved than we could dream.
This humbles and inspires. It breaks down and builds up. This is the gospel at work in our lives.
Lord, please destroy the pride in my heart. Help me to be open, teachable, humble and ready for your words and work in my life today. Amen.
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