PRIDE AND PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs." Matthew 5:3 (CSB)

Jesus begins to help us understand how to be really blessed by telling us that we must realize our need for God.  The Expositor’s Bible Commentary says, “To be poor in spirit is not to lack courage but to acknowledge spiritual bankruptcy. It confesses one’s unworthiness before God and utter dependence on him.”

The Old Testament gives us a preview of this truth in Isaiah 57:15 – “For thus says the High and Lofty One, Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’”  

We need to realize that Jesus never taught anything completely new. He presented the truth of God so that we could understand it better. He took what the OT taught and rearranged it for our benefit of understanding. One mentor used to warn – “If it’s true, it’s not new; and, if it’s new, it’s not true.” When you discover something new in the Bible – it’s not really new.  It’s been there, you just finally found it.

The clashing worldly values that we have to struggle against is that of pride and personal independence. We are made up of a country that is proud – proud of our independence. We as individuals look for how we can be “our own boss.” “No one can tell me what to do.”

Or, how about - “I did it my way.”

Think about what  Pride really is. Excessive self-esteem; conceit.  Satisfaction or pleasure is taken in one's own success, achievements, etc. Notice, we are talking about “one’s own” here. Everything I have is because of what I have done. Most religion looks for what can I do. It is not seeing a need for God. Christianity, on the other hand,  looks to what Christ has done.

Or, consider what Personal Independence is. Freedom from the control, influence, support, aid, or the like, of others.  Again, the idea that all that I am is because of who I am. One thing that hinders many from giving their life to Christ is this concept of surrendering to Him. The reason we struggle to trust God with our daily being is because of our Pride and Personal Independence.

So, what does this mean to me? Jesus is telling His Kingdom citizens to take a sincere survey of their lives. He is calling us to stop, and look at our inner, deep, heart of hearts. What do we see? Where are we placing our true allegiance? To God as making us as we are – or ourselves? Tomorrow, we will consider how we are to develop the proper and correct Kingdom Attitude.