Scripture: Matthew 23:12 But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Observation: Jesus was certainly trying to get to the heart of the issue of the religious leaders. The Pharisees had a tremendous amount of pride as they walked the streets, sat at the head of tables, and wanted people to greet them a certain way. It was a pride and Jesus was addressing the heart issue.
Application: As John the Baptist prayed…may I decrease and you increase. As a servant of the Lord, we must walk humbly with God. Pride is sneaky - it can creep into our hearts so quickly and is often nurtured by our lustful desires (popularity, prestige, to be the one who knows it all, etc.) . That is why we need to surround ourselves with people who can hold us accountable and call out the areas of pride in our lives. Humility is the necessary ingredient in sustaining spiritual health.
Prayer: Lord, help me to walk humbly with You! I don't want my pride getting in the way of what you want to do in and through my life.
