Confidence is a real gift that is a foundation stone in success. As children we learned a tale about a little railroad engine that pushed the train over the hill as he puffed “I think I can, I think I can.” It was a lesson in taking on challenge, refusing to let hardship hold us back from an attempt. Theodore Roosevelt penned words that lauded confident attempts. “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds.” There is a caution that we need to hear when we succeed – Beware of hubris!
Hubris is self-confidence that transgresses into arrogance. It is a point of vulnerability in us all. Hubris is the sin of the blessed. Too often those most gifted, those who are successful, trip over themselves, starting to believe all the wonderful things that others are saying about them.
Saul, the first king of Israel, was told to go to a violent, warring nation and destroy it by the Lord, through the voice of the prophet Samuel. But by that time, Saul had become impressed with himself, believing the praises people sang in his ears. So, he kept plunder and brought it back to Israel. Samuel met him and said this of his hubris - “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel." (1 Samuel 15:17, NIV) Saul, you knew you were not much, but God made you. How could you forget that? "Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?” (1 Samuel 15:19, NIV) Here comes the kicker! "For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:23, NIV)
Hubris is a first-cousin of pride, the original sin. The beautiful angel, Lucifer, became convinced that he could be ‘like God,’ and lost his place in God’s heaven, cast down because of pride. This is a temptation that comes often to those blessed with success. Instead of relying on the Spirit to enable us to serve and please God, we can become self-sufficient, prayerless, convinced that ‘I can handle this on my own.’
Humility defeats hubris, but nobody comes by that easily or naturally. Humility must be cultivated. The Word tells us to “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5, NIV) When we feel the conviction of the Spirit, when the testimony of the Holy Word speaks truth to us, we start see our desperate condition. What will we do? One response is to pridefully excuse ourselves.
When Samuel challenged Saul’s failure to complete God’s directions, the prideful king replied “What are you talking about? I did obey God. I did the job God set for me. I brought in King Agag and destroyed the Amalekites under the terms of the holy ban. So the soldiers saved back a few choice sheep and cattle from the holy ban for sacrifice to God at Gilgal—what’s wrong with that?” The Message (1 Samuel 15:20-21
Yes, friend, I confess this truth, praying to living humbly, for God promises that “I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts." (Isaiah 57:15, NLT)
Humility is not to be confused with a lack of desire for excellence! The children of the Lord, in whom He places His Spirit, should be people that live admirably. Is there a better model of excellence than Daniel, a man who held to his love of the Lord while serving in the court of a pagan king? He rose to the highest levels, a trusted counselor to the king. Accomplishment or recognition will not morph into hubris when we faithfully give thanks, knowing that we are who we are because of the grace of God. When we feel ourselves becoming impressed with by ourselves, this question needs to come to the forefront of our minds: “Who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not??” (1 Corinthians 4:7)
Hubris or humility? What will it be?
Take the wisdom of Jesus with you today as you meditate on this word from the Word. “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18:3-4, NIV) "All of you, serve each other in humility, for “God opposes the proud but favors the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor." (1 Peter 5:5-6, NLT)
(Video of this blog at this link)
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I'm calling on the God of Jacob
Whose love endures through generations
I know that You will keep Your covenant
I'm calling on the God of Moses
The one who opened up the ocean
I need you now to do the same thing for me
Oh God my God I need You
Oh God my God I need You now
How I need You now
Oh Rock oh Rock of ages
I'm standing on Your faithfulness
I'm calling on the God of Mary
Whose favor rests upon the lowly
I know with You all things are possible
I'm calling on the God of David
Who made a shepherd boy courageous
I may not face Goliath
But I've got my own giants
You heard Your children then
You hear Your children now
You are the same God
You are the same God
You answered prayers back then
And You will answer now
You are the same God
You are the same God
You were providing then
You are providing now
You are the same God
You are the same God
You moved in power then
God move in power now
You are the same God
You are the same God
You were a healer then
You are a healer now
You are the same God
You are the same God
You were a Savior then
You are a Savior now
You are the same God
You are the same God
You freed the captives then
You're freeing hearts right now
You are the same God
You are the same God
You touched the lepers then
I feel Your touch right now
You are the same God
You are the same God
I'm calling on the Holy Spirit
Almighty river come and fill me again
Come and fill me again
Come and fill me again
Brandon Lake | Chris Brown | Pat Barrett | Steven Furtick
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