Be Humble (Part 1)
On arrogance and Alexander the Great
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Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7 (ESV)
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A funny thing about pride.
I’ve noticed it tends to leave a person crashed & burned right after they achieve their proud dreams.
For example: I think about Alexander the Great, one of very few men still with the label of “Great.” He set out to conquer the known world, and his empire reached further than anyone’s up to that point (I’m going off memory here).
And then he died suddenly.
No one quite knows the cause for his death in his early thirties.
Immediately, the empire was split four ways.
Grand achievement … crashed.
The first part of today’s verse looks at humility — the inverse of pride. It’s really about cultivating an attitude of humility, relying on God for everything. The person who does this may find themselves — at a time of God’s choosing, not their own timing — exalted into a place of honor.
The irony-yet-not-irony being that the humble person will give glory to God, not themselves.
Grand achievement … God’s glory.
It’s a hard thing to give up pride. I find it best to keep reminding myself of my place in eternity: God is the grand creator of the universe and I am a small child whom He has saved & loves.
Probably why Jesus taught us to begin our prayers by giving glory to our Father in heaven.
I have more thoughts, but you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.
— Ricky Ketchum
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