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Not too many days ago and seemingly out of nowhere a powerful realisation "hit" me between the eyes like a blinding flash of light, like a huge 4 x 2 chunk of wood colliding with my forehead in order to cause me to stop, think, and change my course of direction. It was really quite a profound moment, that instant when everything came to an abrupt halt. That moment in time was a wake up call changing me from an outward focus to an inward focus about my poor behaviour towards others around me. A sobering moment indeed would be an accurate description and I needed it in order to wake up and change my attitude. God had my attention and He was trying to lovingly teach me, reprimand, and admonish me about pride and self righteousness. There is that word pride again, which hides just below the surface in each and every one of us just waiting to be released by our carnal human nature. The effects of this woe are serious as pride has the potential to permeate our thoughts, words, and actions in a most destructively insidious manner with vile consequences involving sin.
The disease needs to be accurately diagnosed firstly through listening to God as He certainly got my attention that day via the words of two individuals present in the car as I drove from one disaster to the next. The ugly effects of pride affected both of my eyes to those present and very noticeably. The prescription required copious amounts of free flowing water as in the Water of Life to skilfully irrigate both eyes to flush out the abhorrent affliction. It was momentarily painful, much like stinging from swimming pool chlorine or when a foreign object lodges itself within the orbital mucosa, but necessary to dislodge the irritant and then once removed clear sight was restored to both eyes. Flushing out is much preferred over intervention by surgical incision for removal (Matthew 18:9). Due to the seriousness of the situation a determination was needed for the future in line with God's wisdom -- at the first hint or sign of this disease the car would need to be pulled over off the road as soon as possible while safe to do so. Prayers would need to be said in order to tell God all about the problem and seek help from His Holy Spirit as we cannot in any way overcome pride by our own power once it takes hold.
Our Bibles tell us what God says about pride in many places. Beginning with Proverbs 6:16-17 where plain and simple language is used to describe how God feels -- He hates pride and it is mentioned first in a list of 7 things God absolutely hates. One might think that a splinter in the eye would be more painful than a huge piece of wood however the splinter would be easier to extricate and could be done in a matter of seconds whereas the huge beam would require much more effort and the threat of losing an eye would be of high risk. On this occasion I found myself with a thick beam or massive log rather than a tiny splinter or speck. Why do I have such a problem with this issue and why now?
Most recently in prayer a considered request was made to show my faults in preparation for the Passover -- God heard these prayers and delivered. Our hearts want to deceive ourselves into thinking all is well and lie to us as we know from Jeremiah 17:9. We may manage to go for years without recognising a fault buried deep within our core. King David asked God to reveal his secret or unknown faults and sins and this example speaks clearly to me (Psalm 19:12). We need to know even though we prefer not to know but if we trust in God to show us in His perfect love and mercy we can only benefit when we are willing to listen and change. Better to tackle this now rather than delay the inevitable as the problem will grow and fester as diseases tend to do with purulent festering and malignancy, even emitting a foul stench due to serious infection involving the whole body such as sepsis that is repulsive to others. Of course, we do not want that.
There is a powerful and memorable example set for us in Luke 18:9-14 "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” This example never resonated fully with me until just recently when it suddenly came "crashing" over me along with the 4 x 2 beam. Now I personally know exactly what God is saying very clearly and to my shame. Point taken on the full force of this lesson which had to be internalized.
God provides the panacea for this awful affliction of pride by noticing scripture found in Romans 12:9-21 "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honour. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honourable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord'. To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head'. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good".
Approaching the 14th anniversary of my baptism on 12th March 2021 just 12 days before the Passover, as much as I despise the shame of understanding how dirty and sinful I am like the filthy rag in Isaiah 64:6, this lesson is packed full of merciful blessings. My secret sin has been revealed to me under the specific circumstances needed in order for me to see it in all its ugly state threatening to engulf my heart like a cancerous growth multiplying rapidly unless removed. The "whack" of the 4 x 2 had its intended result of dislodging the thick beams in both eyes in order to see straight and with full vision. Psalm 38:5 reminds me of the consequences of foul and festering wounds along with the foolishness which caused them. It took several instances of lessons in quick succession for me to finally accept what my hardened heart had previously avoided and repelled. I could hardly believe what I saw but there it was as I held my breath in incredulity.
Only God can work with us like that and we must trust Him when we ask to be shown our true state. Even though there was a fleeting moment of hesitation prior to asking, it had to be done in order for growth to occur. Now to practice, practice, practice until resisting and overcoming sin is my familiar state on the issue of pride. It was true that I had been blind to pride at times as it was hidden deep within but God knew the exact circumstances which would bring it to the surface. As we may realize, humans are capable of any sin, it just takes certain events to activate the worst in us usually when we are most vulnerable. God used others to show me my sin of pride while God used Nathan the prophet to show King David his hidden sin (2 Samuel 12:1-13). God knew the example of a lamb would stir David into action because he had been a shepherd for many years. David's example is appreciated greatly and we are even provided with his prayer of repentance in Psalm 51 to take stock of. That is how loving God is.
As strong as this lesson needed to be there is great solace and peace from reading the Psalms. Psalm 66:16-20 cheers and delights my countenance with "Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extolled with my tongue. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, nor His mercy from me!" Were these words, written thousands of years ago and which are still perfect to glean from as we go through tests and trials during our preparation for the annual memorial of Passover, King David's own words? The Bible does not indicate, but let them be as our own words taken for our own learning and for the necessary growth and development that we all need.
Thankfully there are so many comforting places in the Bible to go to when we are in distress. Another scripture comes to mind from the apostle Paul's words which ring true and sound in my ears repeatedly, even day after day, from the scripture found in Ephesians 4:1-6 which notably urges us to bear with one another in unity and love; and certainly not in any prideful way. From here my next reading takes me to Colossians 3 which contains further instruction to bear with one another as part of the character we need to develop in our Christian walk. Bearing with one another is the theme for this year in humility and love, letting go of any worldly thoughts which may threaten to cause sinful pride. Why do we do these foolish things of comparing ourselves with one another? We know we should not do this as we are warned by Paul in 2 Corinthians 10:12. At the conclusion of the matter, valuable scripture in John 3:30 reveals "He must increase, but I must decrease". These seven profound words are straight to the point and sum up the solution very nicely as well as succinctly and were provided by John the Baptist regarding Jesus Christ -- they are there for our benefit when we have eyes to see. After my spiritual eyesight was restored I then could see what should have been noticed all along -- less of me -- more of Christ.