“And be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”” (1 Peter 5:5)                   

An abomination that God hates, pride is the pathway to destruction and despair! Arrogant attitudes and haughty hearts can bring promising lives and lofty dreams crashing down in dismal defeat. A prime example is the selfish pride that prompted God to cast Satan out of heaven. The highest of all angels and the most beautiful of God’s creations, Satan (Lucifer) demonstrated his all-encompassing pride and his self-exaltation in a series of “I will” statements. “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:13-14) Satan seeks to puff up human pride in order to bring about our fall from the grace that God gives those who are humble at heart.

Pride certainly went before Satan’s fall, and the same egotism, misplaced self-respect, and perceived self-sufficiency can lead to our downfall as well. Almighty God wants us instead to humble ourselves before His throne of grace, recognizing our dependency upon Him for earthly sustenance and eternal security. There is no greater model of humility that Jesus Christ, God incarnate who set aside His glory in heaven and came to earth in lowly meekness to serve and to save a world lost and dying in sin. “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8) God has promised to uplift those who walk by faith in Christlike humility.

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)