“Love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4b-5a
Do you have pride?
That’s a tricky question, isn’t it?
I remember having a discussion with someone about pride. They were wondering if being proud of their work was wrong.
Pride is a difficult concept today because it can have different meanings, some good and some bad.
So, when we, in the church, talk about pride as a sin, what do we mean?
Let’s take a look at our verse from 1st Corinthians…
Love isn’t boastful. When you do well, you can be pleased with what you have accomplished, but love means you stay humble. You don’t flaunt it in other people’s faces and you remember to be thankful to God for how He has blessed you.
Love isn’t arrogant. Rather than thinking of yourself as better than everyone else, love means thinking of others as more significant than yourself.
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3
You still do your best…
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” – Colossians 3:23-24
…but you let your work speak for itself and use that reputation of being a good, hard worker to glorify God, rather than yourself.
Love isn’t rude. When we start to think of ourselves as better than others, it affects how we act towards them. Rather than being encouraging, we tend to be rude as though these other people don’t deserve our time or to be in our presence. Love treats people with kindness, compassion, and humility.
Jesus illustrated this better than anyone.
He was powerful, perfect, and wise. He literally was/is better than us, but He came humbly and served and even died on a cross for us.
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” – Mark 10:45
So, stay humble and “whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
Dear Jesus,
You had every right to treat others as less than You, yet You came to serve and give Yourself for our salvation. Help me to treat others with the same humility and love while serving You and them to the best of my ability.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
Copyright 2022, Faith Lutheran Church, Wesley Chapel. All Rights Reserved.