I Don’t Got This
Proverbs 11:2 NKJ
2 When pride comes, then comes shame;
But with the humble is wisdom.
I realize the title of this devotional is bad English. I have never laid claim to having a firm grasp on proper English, but my title today is intentional.
“I got this” is the voice of pride. Pride, according to the Olive Tree Dictionary, is also defined as presumptuousness. This is what David’s brother accused him of when David declared that he would fight Goliath. But David was not in pride; he was in faith, and we all know how that story ends. The WordBookdictionary says presumptuousness is “audacious (even arrogant) behavior that you have no right to.” So when it comes to God, it is massive, audacious, and arrogant behavior to tell our Creator, “I got this.”
Fact is, we don’t got this. There are many things we don’t get, and to assume that we can handle things without God is not going to turn out well. Even worse is when we know what the wisdom of God is and we still go in the other direction. I can look back on big mistakes in my life and see where pride was the reason things turned out badly. I made the decision to take my family to North Carolina to start a church. Joy was not in favor of the move and asked me to at least go and talk with my pastor. I refused because I got this. Our proverb says when pride comes, then comes shame and I experienced an embarrassing situation for almost two years. Even worse, I drug my family into the difficult situation with me. Did I learn some things? Absolutely. I learned that pride could create real problems.
But with the humble is wisdom. It’s not that God loves the humble more, but humility positions us more favorably. James tells us that God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Humility says, “I don’t got this.” I need God’s help. I need His wisdom. I do not have all the answers.
Always remember that humility is not poor self-esteem or self-depreciation. Humility is acknowledging God as wiser and smarter. Humility is acknowledging that God’s ways are best, even when we don’t see the end or how things will work out. But the humble get grace. And the humble get wisdom. It took humility for us to acknowledge that we could not save ourselves and needed a Savior. But we all know that turned out well. If we will humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, the apostle Peter said God will exalt us in due time.
Humility yields wisdom, grace, and exaltation. Pride produces shame. This is an easy choice on paper, but because pride is the nature of our flesh, making the call to walk in humility is more challenging. But worth it.
PRAYER
Lord, help me uncover the areas in my life where I am operating in pride. I much prefer Your wisdom and grace.