Prideful or Humble

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

PRIDEFUL OR HUMBLE

Luke 16:14-15

14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight.

NIV

Here we have religious men who love money. How can that be when they are supposed to be men of God, keeping themselves separate from the common people whom they considered religiously unclean. In fact, the Greek word Pharisaios means a separatist. Yet, they not only loved money, but they also wanted to look good in front of men. That was one of their prideful issues, even the way they dressed, with their long tassels, coats, and headgear, looking as if they were special men of God, studying and teaching the law. If it only were not true today that there are Christians who love money and want to look spiritual in front of men. However, we think it might be truer than we want it to be, yet we have seen Christians filled with pride over their titles, higher education, positions in the church, or their influence because of their large amounts of giving, which may be more rooted in their love for money because of the power and influence it affords them to look good before men.

Let us not get caught up in that game of life, but rather be completely sold out to Jesus, for we do not want to be detestable in the sight of God.  Of course, we want to reflect the glory of God in ever-increasing glory, but that is only to be a reflector of God’s glory, for we do not have any reason to have any of our own glory. We have nothing, can be nothing, and do nothing unless we remain in Jesus, always giving him all the praise and honor for anything, in fact, for everything we have, are, and do. If we believe in Jesus, we come to church not to be served but to serve. We are the least among men in our society of believers we commune with. We have nothing to be proud of because everything we can do is completely because of God doing the work in us. Alone, we are not qualified, and yet God can do everything he desires to accomplish in our lives, it is God who began this work in us, and it is God who will bring this work within us to completion. How can we not humble ourselves before God which means we should also humble ourselves before men. Let us remember who we are, and why we do what we do because of Jesus being in us, and working through the power of the Spirit to do what he desires in us and through us.