1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,
2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.
3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross
- Phil. 2: 1-8
Pride is such a subtle thing. It slithers around in the shadows of our lives, waiting for any opportunity to rear its ugly head. In one's walk with God, the ever-present temptation is for one to exalt one's own learning or experience over those whom we perceive as weaker in the Faith.
1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." This "knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up.
2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
- 1 Cor. 8: 1-3
So dangerous is such spiritual pride that the Apostle Paul himself, having received great and wondrous revelations from God, was given a thorn in the flesh lest he grow conceited.
6 Though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
- 2 Cor. 12: 6-7
Have we not all grown conceited in one way or another? One boasts in his bible knowledge, another boasts in his many visions from God. One revels in his many good deeds, while another takes great pride in his many fasts, prayers and acts of piety. Hear then the words of our Lord.
1 "Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.
6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
- Matt. 6: 1-6
"What's the point of being humble if no one knows about it." Fascinating quote is it not? Do we at times actively seek to hide our good deeds or do we take every opportunity to let people know how "pious" and "humble" we are? God knows how many times I have struggled in this, when I have given and thought in my heart, 'now that's quite a large sum. Man do I feel good about myself.' Or when after attending a prayer meeting or bible study, one thinks to himself 'look, what a good Christian I am that I attend such meetings, so unlike those other carnal christians.' Oh brothers that should not be! Rather, we should ever be so desirous that those weaker amongst us should be built up in the Faith and that their hearts may be stirred into serving the Lord more and more with what they have, not out of a sense of any innate superiority, but with a certain lowliness and gratefulness for God's Grace in our lives.
(Now I know that the nature of my posts here may seem contradictory to what I am saying here, and I do not doubt that fact that often in writing have I fallen into the temptation of desiring others to know of my piety.)
Let us be exceedingly wary and watchful of the deceitfulness of our own hearts, for so often are we soon exposed for our hypocrisy.
21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal?
22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.
24 For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."
- Roms. 2: 21-24
Here then is the tragic end of all our hypocrisy, that God's Name is itself scorned and ridiculed by the World. How can we endure such an affront to our Master's Name? Surely He has every right to deal with us harshly and justly. Let us seek to live our lives in such a way so as to not bring such shame to our Lord.
Lord be merciful to us.
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