A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (October 30, 2017)
For I say to every man that is among you, through the grace given unto me, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)
No, we are not going to be talking about that famous romance novel “Pride and Prejudice”. We are however going to look at two of the most destructive and ungodly human attributes that God’s Word warns us about. Pride is defined in the Webster’s New World Dictionary as an overhigh opinion of oneself, haughtiness, or arrogance. The Hebrew word used in the Old Testament (Proverbs 16:18) for pride is gaown which means arrogancy, pomp, pride, and swelling. The Greek word for pride used in the New Testament (1 Timothy 3:6) is tuphoo which means to envelop with smoke, to inflate with self-conceit, to be high-minded, or to be lifted up with pride.
Pride is a two-sided coin. On one side you have pride, which thinks more highly of oneself than you ought. On the other side of that same coin is prejudice which thinks more lowly of someone else than you ought. Regardless of how you cut it, this coin is fake currency in the Kingdom of God and it will lead to destruction and a fall.
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)
It is very interesting to look at the ministry of Jesus and see how many times he was challenged by religious leaders, and even His own disciples, for the people He was willing to minister to and associate with:
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. (John 4:9)
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? (Matthew 9:11)
Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. (Luke 7:39)
And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. (Matthew 8:2-3)
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a “whosoever” Gospel! For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Sometimes we need to be reminded of that “whosoever” fact.
There is a short scripture in Ecclesiastes that I read recently that kind of sums it all up. Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished (Ecclesiastes 4:13). God is not looking at your economic or social status. He does not care how much you have accumulated in this life. He is not moved by outward appearances. He is always looking at your heart!!!
