A young man once gave a presentation at a seminar. He spoke with confidence, flair, and passion, certain that he had impressed the room. When the session ended, he invited the audience to assess him.
In his mind, he expected glowing reviews, maybe even praise for being the best speaker of the day. But when the feedback came, he was surprised—and deeply disappointed. His grade was only “fair.”
Puzzled, he read the comments. Most were short and polite, but one stood out:
“Spoke too highly of himself.”
Suddenly, he realized that what he thought was confidence had come across as arrogance. What he believed would elevate him had diminished the impact of his words.
So it is with pride. It promises recognition but delivers reproach. Those who lift themselves up are brought low, but those who walk humbly are lifted high.
If Jesus had to assess you today, what would he say about you? Do you think what he says to you would surprise you or do you believe you already have an accurate assessment of yourself?
During John’s stay on the island of Patmos, he had a vision, and Jesus gave to him an assessment of seven churches. We will be focussing on one of them: Laodicea. Let us go to Revelation 3: 17-18. I will be using the New Living Translation because it simplifies it in a manner that can be easily understood
17 You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. 18 So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see
The Laodiceans were saying three things about themselves
1. I am rich
2. I have everything I want
3. I don’t need a thing
This is the type of mindset is fuelled by the stronghold of pride.
Pride my friends has caused the downfall of nations (Babylon)
The unending of kings (Daivid)
It is the precipice that comes before the fall
It is the silent snare that deceives us all.”
Laodicean pride can be defined as a form of spiritual self-sufficiency and complacency that
misunderstands material prosperity for spiritual wealth.
The Laodicean thought of themselves as having arrived. They were superior to others, and the evidence was shown by their prosperity. It reminds me of a parable Jesus gave in Lk:18: 9-14:
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
The pharisee and the Laodicean are displaying the same mindset. They considered themselves to be religiously superior to others. It reeks of selfishness.
The pharisee claimed that
1. I am not like other men
2. I fast twice a week
3. I give tithe of all that I possess ; he probably could add as well
4. I keep the sabbath holy
Again, in Mathew 19: 16 -22 a rich young man came to Jesus to inquire what he must do to obtain eternal life:
The young man declared I keep all the commandments:
I do not murder
I do not commit adultery
I do not steal
I do not bear false witness
I honour my father and my mother
You name it i am doing it and have done from my youth even until now.
Jesus told him, yet you are not perfect. If you want to be sell all that you have and come and follow me.
This type of mindset is the fruit of the carnal mind. It is that which believes that by our own efforts we can attain to eternal life. If we do this and if we do that, we will have salvation.
Paul says of this in Phil. 3: 6-9
Philippians 3:6–9 (KJV 1900)
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness, which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
Pride builds a fortress from which flows out all sorts of evil and it shapes your character and produces ungodly fruit. Such is the power of a mindset which is not build on Godly principles.
Paul is telling the Phillipians, look I was just like the that young ruler. In fact I was a Pharisee so I was even better, I am a Benjamite
and I kept the Law to a tee.
I thought that I was righteous but now I consider it all dung compared to the righteousness which I have obtained through faith in Christ Jesus. The righteousness of God given to me by faith in Jesus Christ.
Pride can blind us to who we really are. We are left to only see the faults in others but are totally oblivious to ours.
Christ says to Laodiceans: Buy from me
1: Gold refined by fire – so that you may be truly rich
2. White garments- to clothe your self
3. Eye salve- anoint your eyes that you may really see.
Jesus told the woman at the well- Ask and I will give you water and you will never thirst again
He says to the young man- sell all that you have and come and follow me and you shall have eternal life.
Jesus is our righteousness
Jesus is our salvation
Jesus is our glorification
Get Jesus and you have it all.
Here Jesus says come buy;
In each case the person must do something, give up, something. Jesus is saying to the Laodiceans:
Buy from me gold tried in fire- give up your pride, independence and self sufficiency and lay hold of the faith in the righteousness which God will bestow on you through me. (1 pet. 1:7)
Buy white garments- these are the symbolic of Christ’s righteousness and salvation so that your sin-stained garments will be covered (Lk. 15:22 Rev. 3: 4-5 & 16:15)
And thirdly buy eye salve so that they would be more discerning of their true condition. (Eph.: 1:17-18)
The Holy Spirit dismisses pride and leads us into realm of humility.
This thing called pride brings kingdoms low,
A seed of ruin all men sow.
It lifts the heart, it blinds the eyes,
It builds on sand, it feeds on lies.
It crowns itself with fleeting fame,
And boasts in wealth, in power, in name.
Yet thrones of stone and towers tall,
All crumble swiftly, pride before the fall.
But grace will lift the lowly head,
And clothe the humble in life instead.
For God resists the proud in might,
But gives the meek His crown of light.
“Christ doesn’t expose our emptiness to shame us, but to clothe us in His riches.”
Verse: “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire… white garments… and salve to anoint your eyes.” — Revelation 3:18
THE END
Let us not build our lives on THE sandy soil of pride
Sand holds no memories
But build on the Rock that does
The Rock of Ages will never forget you
He has engraven your name in the palm of his hand.
