A Lesson In Humility - Proverbs 22:4

In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.”- Proverbs 22:4

    Humility gets a bad rap these days. Most people are convinced that a humble spirit indicates weakness and has no place in the pride of the American spirit. Let’s see now; how is that ‘pride’ working for us? “I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.” - Isaiah 13:11.
    Whether a celebrity, an athlete, or politician, leader, or any public figure, pride, like a raging flood, sweeps them away. I will not mention a single name here. I leave that to you to recall those in recent years who have stumbled greatly and fallen from the public grace. The names are too many. “Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!” - 2 Samuel 1:19.
    Why is pride so dangerous compared to a humble heart? The answer lies in its base hubris. We do, in fact, think we are ‘all that.’ In doing so we often fail to read the signs laid out before us. We disdainfully overlook the facts that serve as warnings for our pomposity. We are caught over-reaching, overestimating, and over-emphasizing our place in the world. We do so when we overreact to perceived injustices or trespasses upon our imagined sovereignty.
    President Franklin Roosevelt once said, “Never underestimate a man who overestimates himself.” We would do well to adhere to this nugget of wisdom. “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” - 1 Corinthians 10:12.
    We see how damaging the self-inflation of undue pride can be but how is humility any better? There are three immediate advantages to humility in the human heart. First, adopting a humble spirit is to adopt a heart like Christ’s. “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” - Philippians 2:8.
Secondly, it is the foundation of peace among men. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” - Philippians 2:3-4. And, thirdly, God has promised good things to those of humble spirit. “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.’. . . Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”  - James 4:6, 10.
    In our efforts to adopt a spirit of Godly humility we are at odds with our innate human spirit. They are polar opposites. The things of God are higher than the things of man. And though we cannot sense it or see it, that doesn’t mean we cannot grasp for it. A man or woman blessed and imbued with God’s holy grace is only limited by their human frailty. To get beyond our weakness, we must engage in fervent prayer. No one dares suggest that taking on a humility that God loves and rewards is easy. If it was easy anyone could do it and we know that simply isn’t true. Prayer - Godly, reverent prayer, is the key to all of God’s gracious gifts. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” - 1 John 5:14.
    No matter what the world, the flesh, the devil or human pride suggests, there is a God and that God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Let His hand be a helping guide to us in all seasons less it be a disciplining response to our pride-fed arrogance.