When I was younger, I felt compelled to always let others know when I felt I had knowledge that they did not. I had a need to make sure people knew when I had figured something out. If I heard someone say something that was inaccurate, I would feel compelled to correct them. You know, the need to always be right…I’m sure you’ve seen many other people with the same problem…but I’m sure you’re not one of them.
Or are you?
Behaving this way was such ignorance, on my part. Pride actually. Big fat ugly pride. Pride stemming from insecurity. My husband always recites this adage…Better to be considered a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
Yes, this is a pervasive problem for many people.
As I’ve read scripture, over and over again, I’ve grown to understand that my compulsion to broadcast my own knowledge was actually foolishness. Once I realized that, I began the long road to change.
The wise don’t make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their foolishness. Proverbs 12:23
Insecurity provokes us to broadcast ourselves. When we become established in the Lord, we are much more willing to give others room. Allow them to discover things on their own. When we discover on our own, it’s much more likely to stick. We’re much more likely to stand firm. It’s longer lasting.
The spirit of this age is a prideful spirit and one of its characteristics is to always be talking…often louder than others and acting as if all they say is the gospel truth, when actually most of it doesn’t even make sense. We don’t want to be partnering with that spirit, do we? When we operate in the spirit I described at the beginning of this writing, we are doing just that.
I often tell people that anxiety is the cousin of fear. Fear is from the enemy, as we read in scripture that God doesn’t give us the spirit of fear. Anxiety piggy backs on fear, causing as much damage as it can. This prideful spirit is similar. What we once thought of as just a desire to be “right” has bled over to it’s cousin…full out demonic pride. A desire for man to be his own god. It’s foolishness it’s a grand scheme.
We fight a wrong spirit by operating in the opposite spirit. Don’t ever forget that. When we come across this disgustingly prideful spirit, our best recourse is not pushy, loud, brassiness. No, it’s a solid standing on the actual truth. Staying true and steady on Christ.
On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.
I encourage you to meet with Jesus today and restore the humility in your heart. Ask Him to establish within you a heart of truth and grace, cloaked in the humility that disarms pride. A humility that makes room for Jesus to pursue those in error.
Though the Lord is very great and lives in heaven, He will make Jerusalem His home of justice and righteousness. In that day He will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure. Isaiah 33:5-6
Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have- Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11
365 Days in the Presence 