The Danger Of Being Too Important

Have we who follow the Risen Saviour forgotten the admonition that cautions us, “By the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them” [ROMANS 12:3-6a].

Soon after this, in this chapter, we who follow the Saviour are cautioned, “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight” [ROMANS 12:16-17].

The instruction recalls the LORD’s words to Baruch through the prophet Jeremiah. “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: You said, ‘Woe is me! For the LORD has added sorrow to my pain. I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.’ Thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD: Behold, what I have built I am breaking down, and what I have planted I am plucking up—that is, the whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not, for behold, I am bringing disaster upon all flesh, declares the LORD” [JEREMIAH 45:2-5a].

Among the Psalms of Ascent is one which addresses this issue of thinking too highly of oneself. Surely we can agree that David had reason to think highly of his own abilities; yet, in this 131st PSALM, David has written:

“O LORD, my heart is not lifted up;

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child is my soul within me.”

[PSALM 131:1-2]

Apparently, David communicated this vital instruction to Solomon because we find him writing in the Proverbs:

“Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.”

[PROVERBS 3:7]

Among the admonitions the LORD delivered through Isaiah is one which is apropos to this current discussion. Listen to the word of the LORD!

“Thus says the One who is high and lifted up,

who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

‘I dwell in the high and holy place,

and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,

to revive the spirit of the lowly,

and to revive the heart of the contrite.’”

[ISAIAH 57:15]

If we wish to dwell in the presence of the Living God, we must cultivate a humble spirit. If we expect to receive His blessings and to enjoy His rich gifts, we need to avoid being proud; we will be required to deal ruthlessly with the spirit of pride that rises within our heart, we will be compelled to see what pleases the Lord, and it is not our pride that honours Him.

If I wish to be proud, let me take pride in Christ who redeems me. Here is sound counsel to the one who would follow the Saviour. “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ” [ROMANS 15:17-19].