“LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me” (Psalm 131:1).
TEXT — Psalm 131:1-3
Message
A young Englishman once had an unforgettable encounter with Mahatma Gandhi, the father of modern India. In a community led by the Indian statesman, the man was assigned to clear latrines. The English lad protested, saying, “Don’t you know who I am? I have great things to do.” Calmly, Gandhi replied, “I know you can do great things; what I don’t know is if you can do little things.” Too puffed up, the lad did not know that real greatness starts with dealing with your small, bloated ego.
A king who lived nearly 4000 years ago in Israel, with all the splendour and grandeur at his disposal, knew better than this young man. Despite all his riches, resources, and fame, King David confessed, “I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child…” He averred, “LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters or in things too high for me.”
When people project their self-importance to heights above fellow men and women and look down on all others, they say their permanent habitation is with the gods. They are competing with the greater God, wanting to split space with Him. It is pride that draws them into a battle with the invincible Creator. The Lord teaches, however, that He is overall, tolerating no rivalry.
God is not pleased when we boast of our fleeting earthly performance. Instead, we must grade ourselves modestly as servants who wait on their Master for His flawless assessment. His verdict counts and it should make us genuinely prepared and ready for the rapture. But we fail the test when we exhibit pride, especially when we assume that our God-given work is below our dignity.
Thought for the day
Pride blinds the mind from perceiving better options in life.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
