Pride or humility
This is a question that we need to ask ourselves. I have been giving pride and humility some thought lately and it is very eye-opening. We hear these words passed around but what do they really mean. So I decided to look them up in the dictionary as well as the Strong’s Concordance and do a little study. What I found has given me much to think and pray about.
Pride
A high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in hearing, conduct, etc.” In the Strong’s Concordance, it gave me a little more to think on. “Haughtiness, arrogance. The character of one whom, with a swollen estimate of his own powers or merits, looks down on others and even treats them with insolence and contempt.
Mark 7:20-23, “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”
Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
Pride is having an inward thinking. If we allow pride to rule our lives, every decision we make will be based on “what is in it for me”.
What “reward” do we get for pride?
Proverbs 29:23, “A man’s pride shall bring him low:….”
Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
Pride will destroy a person’s life. The true joy of life you cannot have when your heart is full of pride. We cannot have meaningful relationships. A true meaningful relationship is giving to others when there is nothing in it for us. Pride brings misery and eventually destruction.
Humility
The meaning of humility, on the other hand, is the opposite of pride. The dictionary meaning said, “The quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance, rank, etc.” In the Strong’s Concordance, it said, “1) having a humble opinion of one’s self. 2) A deep sense of one’s (moral) littleness. 3). Modesty, humility, lowliness of mind.”
1 Peter 5:5-9
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.”
The only way that we can have humility of heart is to allow the Lord access to our hearts so that He can come in and change us. Humility is to have an outward mindset. When we look at the life of Jesus we can see that His life was a life of thinking of others.
Philippians 2:3, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.” This is what Jesus did and He is our example.
What is the reward for humility?
Proverbs 29:23, “…. but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.”
Matthew 18:4, “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
It is only as we come to God in humility, with a child-like faith and wanting to know truth can He teach us. God wants to teach us His ways. He wants us to spend time with Him and learn of Him.
John 4:24, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”
I have wondered many times what this really means. I am not theologian but I have studied this verse for myself. And I am going to share what I believe it means. It has been such a blessing to me.
I started out by looking up the word spirit and truth in the Strong’s Concordance. Spirit can refer to different things but for this study, I am only going to focus on a few.
spirit= seat of emotions, as seat or organ of mental acts (rarely of the will) as seat especially of moral character.
Psalms 143:4, “Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is desolate.”
Proverbs 15:13, “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.”
Proverbs 16:19, “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
There are so many verses I could use but these are the ones that I am using to show spirit as being emotions as well as character. And our emotions have a real effect on our character but this is a subject for another time.
truth=of divine instruction
Proverbs 3:3, “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.”
This verse is so amazing to me that I looked up some of the words in the Strong’s Concordance to discover the meanings. Write = record, Table = tablet, heart = inner man, mind, will. God wants to write truth upon the tablet of our heart and mind. This is so exciting to me.
Hebrews 10:16, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.”
2 Corinthians 3:2, “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”
Did you know that our heart is our second mind and that our heart has a memory? There are stories of people that have had heart transplants that have started having nightmares, memories of things they had never done in their lives, or cravings they had never had. This is very enlightening to me. As we meditate day and night upon God’s word (Psalms 1:2), we are creating pathways in our brains and our hearts. God is writing truth upon our hearts and minds.
Dear Father,
Thank You that as we immerse ourselves in You, spending time with You, that You will write Your truth upon our hearts and minds. Thank You for Your mercy and love.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
I want God’s truth to be so written in my heart and mind. So that my thoughts, emotions, and character change to fully reflect Him. How about you?
Love you all.
I would love to hear from you. What has God shown you and how is He leading in your life?