“How do we explain God’s abhorrence of the haughty heart? Simple. God resists the proud because the proud resist God. Arrogance stiffens the knee so it will not kneel, hardens the heart so it will not admit to sin. . . . Indeed, the arrogant never feel the need for forgiveness. Pride is the hidden reef that shipwrecks the soul.”- Max Lucado
“The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: ‘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 (NCT)
In Chapter 6 (“Grace for the Humble”) of Unshakable Hope, Max Lucado observes that pride comes at a high price. Consequently, God’s hatred for arrogance is inversely proportional to His love for humility. Because humble people willingly do what proud people will not. Thus, a humble heart:
- quickly acknowledges the need for God
- eagerly confesses sin
- kneels before heaven’s mighty hand
- hungers for grace
- shows health because it’s honest
Furthermore, as King Nebuchadnezzar figured out later than sooner, when we realize God’s so big, we finally see how small we are. As king in Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar thought of himself as all-powerful. He believed he ran his world-perhaps the entire world.
During Daniel’s time there, God sent the king at least three messages, the message of the:
- fiery furnace – God’s greater than fire.
- dream – the massive tree you see today becomes tomorrow’s stump.
- warning of Daniel – King, humble yourself before it’s too late.
Therefore, God’s able to humble those who walk in pride. But, He’s able to use those who walk in humility. As Max concludes:
“You might want to underline that last sentence (Daniel 4:37). Those who walk in pride God is able to humble. It’s better to humble yourself than to wait for God to do it for you.”
Today’s question: What Bible verses remove any remaining arrogance in your heart? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A high priest who’s able to understand”
