Daily Bible Study – Immanuel experience…
LEARN and PRACTICE the WORD of GOD
Divine Healing from the Inner Wounds…
Humility
(Continuation from yesterday..)
Humility vs. Pride: The Truth
- Humility is a virtue.
Pride is not. - Humility comes when people are secure.
Pride comes when they are insecure. - A humble leader is a confident leader, knowing who they are and what they do.
A prideful leader is an overconfident leader trying to convince other people that they are good enough to be doing what they are doing. - Humility is strength.
Pride is weakness. - The most humble people never have to prove themselves or hide something.
The most prideful people you’ll meet are always proving themselves and hiding something. - Humility is attractive. It makes people want to follow you.
Pride is obnoxious. It causes people to flee from you. - A humble person understands himself or herself, realistically knowing what they can do well vs. what they cannot do well. Humble people are not afraid to take constructive criticism or counsel, nor do they feel the need to take credit when it is due elsewhere.
A prideful person, however, hasn’t taken the time to truly know themselves. The pride in them makes them want to be someone else and blame others when weakness appears. - Humble people are responsive to their people, themselves, and others – asking what they can do to improve and respecting others by default.
Proud people are resistant and view everyone else as the problem. - Humble people understand their dependence on friends, family, and colleagues, and then lean into their support for the good of the whole.
- Proud people put themselves first and always pursue their own agenda, even at the expense of others. It is better to be humble than proud; secure instead of insecure; confident instead of overconfident, and responsive rather than resistant.
These four ingredients constitute the best recipe for effective, liberating leadership. If you work hard to cultivate these elements within yourself, your team, your organization, and your family, it will pay dividends beyond what you can imagine, both in life and in work.
Meditate on these verses related to pride, and ask God to show you anything that you need to confess and repent of:
For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. (1 John 2:16)
Pride goes before destruction. (Proverbs 16:18)
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. (Proverbs 8:37)
What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever. (Isaiah 5:21)
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interest of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)
True humility and fear of the LORD lead to riches, honor, and long life. (Proverbs 22:4)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, when you walked the earth, Your humility obscure your Kingship. Your meekness confused the arrogant, hindering them from grasping your purpose, Your nobleness attending to the destitute. Teach me to model after your eminence, to subject my human nature to humility. Grant me with a natural inclination to never view myself greater than anyone. Banish all lingering sparks of self-importance that could elevate me greater than you. Let my heart always imitate your humility. That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it. We pray this in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.