BEING WRONG

BEING WRONG

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

Job [MKJV] 26:12 He quiets the sea with His power, and by His understanding He shatters the proud.

Proverbs 18:12 Before shattering, the heart of man is proud, and before honor is humility.

2Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Perfect yourselves; encourage yourselves; mind the  

       same thing; be at peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control; against such things there is no law. But those belonging to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

James 4:6-7 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

1Peter 5:5-7 Likewise, younger ones, be subject to older ones, and all being subject to one another. Put on humility. For God resists proud ones, but He gives grace to the humble. Therefore be humbled under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your anxiety onto Him, for He cares for you.

1John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He who fears has not been perfected in love.

Dear fellow travelers,

  Being wrong can be an exemplary classroom, if, in humility, as students of Almighty God we agree to His shattering way. It is a conflicted exercise.

  Pride is contrary to love. Pride is protective of my comfort. Pride does not like risk and challenge outside of personal protocol. Pride is self-centered and consequently fear-filled.

  Fear-filled? Indeed it is. We know this not just because of experienced anxiety; but because God’s Word shows us that angst is an element of pride; whereas mature love is free of dread and transparent in presenting Biblical testimony without dread of offending hearers. The Apostle Paul says “Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. … "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, "Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame." (ESV Romans 10)

  Which brings me back to one of my life’s oft repeated challenges: For what reason do I choose to mature, primarily because of troubling emotions that I finally wish to be rid of . . . or uttermost because of God’s purpose for and pleasure in me as His beloved redeemed child? 

  Live in ego-centric pride, live in constant apprehension.

  Practice the sin of pride and live as the slave of pride and its companion fear.

  Live in godly love, and we are peacefully free indeed. (Jn.8:34-36) 

  Will I be perfect this day? I’m certain I shall not. Will I then hide fearfully behind a foolish wall of pride? Every day being a classroom for God’s child, it remains as yet to be seen. 

  Sincerely yours, a fellow student.  EBB4