Proverbs 11:2
2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame:
It is a fact – the bigger they are – the harder they fall. The Pharisee in the illustration was full of himself, totally unaware that he was doomed. We also, as believers, can fall to this sort of pride.
One pastor of a large and beautiful church, was a very confident man. He had a beautiful family, and was well received by his congregation. He was a learned man, and gifted teacher. This continued on for some time, and his pride grew along with his successes. One day, his teenaged daughter ran away from home. They had no idea where she was. Then his church began to splinter as he attempted to accommodate both progressives and conservatives within his congregation. The “blended” church service ensued, which was followed by uprisings within the sheepfold. Half the congregation left to join a contemporary worship church, while another half left to join a traditional church. His church went bankrupt, whereupon he was fired by the board.
How about us? Are we foolish and prideful enough to think we can accommodate the world in our hearts? The pastor in the story, is the story of each and everyone of us. He allowed his daughter to closely associate with worldly teenagers. He allowed young and fleshly people to hold sway in his congregation. We all try in varying degrees to accommodate the world. Perhaps our teenaged daughter has not run away from home, but put in perspective – we all have our own kind of “runaways,” don’t we? Take your pick – job? marriage? favorite sin? addiction? Do you know where they are?
but with the lowly is wisdom.
Daily, minute by minute, moment by moment, we must strive to keep the world, the flesh, and the devil under complete subjection. Any compromise or accommodation will lead to our shame. If we think we can master the devil without copious prayer and Bible study – we give the evil one mastery over us because we are accommodating him. Don’t think for one second that you can outfox the fox on your own. Humble yourself, and rely only on God’s wisdom and knowledge. Never attempting to put your own thinking or understanding into what you think God thinks. The only wisdom in this world is in God’s Holy Word – the Bible.
