Lesson in Humility
pride is the result of favorable comparison- of recognizing i have more than someone else, that I know more than someone else, that I have done more than some one else, that I handled a situation better than someone else, that I have given more/studied more/ prayed more..
One way to deal with pride is to change the focus of comparison- to compare myself to God and thus realize I have nothing to be proud of. A downside of this is it may leave a feeling of inadequacy and discontent.
In this verse Paul offers a more effective solution to the pride problem...look at the source of what you have- God is the source of all I have(He gives us the strength to work and earn a living, the knowledge to invest wisely etc), God blesses us with the ability to learn and grow in knowledge and understanding ( I did nothing to attain it, only chose to use what He equipped me to do), what I know was taught to me by someone else, or revealed to me by a loving God, what I have was given to me, what I have done or achieve is ultimately through the empowering and equipping of God. To recognize this not only does away with pride but leaves me with a profound sense of gratitude.
Created 6 months ago
