Pride or Humility?
I’ve seen several instances lately where someone has reacted with pride and arrogance in various situations. I’m not going to give details, but in each of these cases, some humility would have served them better and mitigated some of their problems.
Pride is definitely not a modern problem. In fact, it’s been around as long as people have been around. In the Garden of Eden, the serpent tempted Adam and Eve by playing on a desire to be more than they were — to be like God.
While the Israelites were wandering in the desert, Moses’ siblings Miriam and Aaron arrogantly — and racistly — tried to assert that they had as much authority from God to lead the people as Moses did, just because Moses married a dark-complected African wife.
While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. They said, “Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?” But the LORD heard them. (Now Moses was very humble—more humble than any other person on earth.) So immediately the LORD called to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam and said, “Go out to the Tabernacle, all three of you!” So the three of them went to the Tabernacle. Then the LORD descended in the pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tabernacle. “Aaron and Miriam!” he called, and they stepped forward. And the LORD said to them, “Now listen to what I say: “If there were prophets among you, I, the LORD, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams. But not with my servant Moses. Of all my house, he is the one I trust. I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the LORD as he is. So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?” The LORD was very angry with them, and he departed.
Numbers 12:1-9 (NLT)
So God humbled them.
As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy. When Aaron saw what had happened to her, he cried out to Moses, “Oh, my master! Please don’t punish us for this sin we have so foolishly committed. Don’t let her be like a stillborn baby, already decayed at birth.” So Moses cried out to the LORD, “O God, I beg you, please heal her!” But the LORD said to Moses, “If her father had done nothing more than spit in her face, wouldn’t she be defiled for seven days? So keep her outside the camp for seven days, and after that she may be accepted back.” So Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days, and the people waited until she was brought back before they traveled again. Then they left Hazeroth and camped in the wilderness of Paran.
Numbers 12:10-16 (NLT)
Throughout the Bible, we see more exhortations to exhibit humility and avoid pride.
Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2 (NLT)
Pride ends in humiliation, while humility brings honor.
Proverbs 29:23 (NLT)
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.
Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
James 4:10 (NLT)
Jesus even referred to Himself as “humble and gentle at heart” (Matthew 11:29), so why can’t we be that way ourselves?
When I’ve thought about these situations I’ve seen recently, I’ve wondered how many opportunities to show humility I’ve missed out on.
I wrote in my journal last night:
How many times have I reacted to adversity without humility or grace?
How often do I “bow up” instead of approaching situations humbly?
Humility is a lesson I’ve learned lately. Thank God I haven’t had to learn it from my own mistakes.