Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit
before a fall. --Proverbs 16:18
In certain countries there has been an emphasis made
by foreign preachers that God wants us wealthy. These "teachers" say that they
can demonstrate their faith by how many material possessions they have. This has
been a very vexing message for the local pastors to deal with, because many
people are poor and have a tendency to see poverty as a curse. A cow
zipped up in a horse suit is still a cow. Likewise, it is amazing
how deeds of the flesh can be worked around until they are actually presented as
spiritual virtue. Someone may say with pride and boldness, "I told him he
offended me!" That person just admitted complete spiritual
defeat. Another admits spiritual defeat when he says,
"I believed God, claimed a jet airplane, and God gave it to me."
We are to be seeking the things above. One fellow even said,
"I cannot look at pornography too long because it is vexing to my spirit." He
can look at it for a while, but he is too spiritual for a prolonged look?
It is one thing to avoid thinking about our flesh, but quite another to
actually make it out to be something spiritual; that reveals the heart of a true
Pharisee.
Michael’s title for this day’s writing speaks
volumes, doesn’t it? How sad, man is so prone to doing just that. We love our
flesh. We love “dressing it up.” To the point that we can zip ourselves up in
another suit and play like we are something we aren’t. That’s a beauty, isn’t
it? Not.
What’s crazy is that we can even do as Michael says,
work the deeds of the flesh around “until they are actually presented as
spiritual virtue.” How far fetched is that?!? When the mind is not in tune
with God, anything can be concocted.
And so it is that pride can rear its ugly head…
Pride is the root of every sin and evil.
Truly, as Michael says, “We are to be seeking the
things above.” That is a remedy for pride. That is the direction of humility.
Andrew Murray has said, “Humility, the place of entire dependence on God…is the
root of every virtue.” Well, amen.
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