The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life- Proverbs 22:4
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.- Proverbs 11:2
This morning, I woke up with the word “humility” on my mind. And right now, as I’m thinking about pride, I can’t help but think of a video I saw of a man catching a baboon with nothing but a hole and some seeds. You see, the man laid a trail of seeds that the baboon loved to eat, leading into the hole, where a large pile of them were placed. The baboon followed the trail, eating seeds as he went, and when he found the hole, and saw there were plenty of seeds inside, reached his hand in, and became trapped. The trap was cunningly simple, you see. All the Baboon needed to do was let the seeds go, and he would be free…but in his desire to keep the seeds, held on tighter, pulling to get his hand free and keep his prize, and so, he was caught. Pride is exactly like that: we’re caught in a trap cleverly designed, one that had good things leading into it, and when we’re there, we refuse to let go, but lament our imprisonment (For an illustration of this, see the video link below).
It’s an important thing to understand. Pride is the opposite of humility. Where humility says, “I can’t, but God, You can,” Pride says “God, you’re taking too long,” or “God, I can handle this,” or, worse, “I don’t need God, I can handle this on my own.” The world flaunts pride. Pride in appearances, pride in one’s work and accomplishments, which, at times, are not bad, but are, indeed, traps to get us complacent in our own accomplishments, personal traits, political or ideological positions, church traditions, and other prideful positions. Humility lets it all go and releases it to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Humility trusts that, no matter what, God has all things in His victorious, righteous right Hand, and it trusts that, even should our property, lives, or that which we cherish most is forfeit, in the end, God makes it all right. Humility is the posture of absolute and complete trust in God, and it is where we need to be in every and all circumstance. Is that your position? Is that where you are with Christ right now? If not, what are you holding on to that is holding you in place?
See the trap here: https://youtu.be/ctol7JwpcuQ
Colossians 3:1-17
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
