Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:41:02 -0500
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (June 13); BP: Job 9; RBTTY: Jn. 21; Ezra 6-8
June 13 “The Peril of Pride”
“If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me; if I say, ‘I am perfect,’ it shall also prove me perverse.”
Job 9:20
Woe to anyone who feels justified in sitting “in the seat of the scornful” (Ps. 1:1c).
Criticism and self-justification.
These are two sides of the same coin and an inherent part of our sinful nature. From birth we are self-centered, cynical (“sneering fault-finding), carnal sinners who are much quicker at pointing out others’ mistakes than we are at seeing our own.
Although Eliphaz and Bildad had come to comfort Job in his grief (2:11-13), they soon demonstrated their lack of love for him by assuming the devil’s role as “the accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:9-10). Much of what they had to say was true as far as an unchanging “truth;” however, they were applying it wholesale to Job from a “one size fits all” mindset. Or, in other words, they were attempting to do surgery on him with a machete, not a scalpel. And, in reality, God had not called them to speak to Job on His behalf (42:7).
Oh, dear Pilgrim, how easy it is to think we speak for God when, in reality, we’re speaking from our own inflated egos. How much damage has been done to others by those who wielded God’s, “sharper than a two-edged sword” Word (Heb. 4:12), in carnal and callused ways.
That’s why we should always remember Oswald Chamber’s admonition of “God never gives the gift of discernment for criticism; it’s always for intercession.” How true, how true.
Likewise, we should also always be careful to spending too much time defending or trying to justify ourselves—especially when others’ minds are made up. The hardened heart cannot be softened by confrontation; neither can the stubborn will be subdued by debate.
Only an active moving of the Holy Spirit. . .coupled with an humble mind and heart… can bring the changes the Lord God desires. Job spent much time countering his “friends’” charges by reminding them of his past track record; however, even then he inwardly knew “his own mouth would condemn him and his lips would pronounce him guilty.”
No wonder Job was “afraid of his sorrows” and knew he was still “guilty before God” (9:28). He needed a fresh touch from the Lord. And, so do we, Pilgrim. So often we waver between two extremes: Self-justification and self-condemnation—which, in reality are both forms of pride. Self-exaltation is an affront to God, as is self-deprecation. That’s why we can ill-afford to say, “Oh, I’m no saint” when excusing sinful behavior. Instead, we should not rest until we become one, which can only happen by being born again by Jesus’ blood and sanctified daily by His Holy Spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment