Those Who Walk in Pride

Pride is a form of insanity because it is not based in reality. When we grow haughty of our accomplishments, we forget who gave us the gifts we used to achieve them. We also forget who gave us our lungs and the clean air we inhaled as we succeeded. The absurdity of boasting in our might is astounding. The fact that God can humble us without any effort proves how little strength we actually possess.

King Nebuchadnezzar was a man of great power who ruled over Babylon. He even took Israel captive. However, on two occasions, all it took to make him tremble were God-given dreams. The second dream showed him as a mighty tree that was then cut down.

Shortly after this dream, he was walking on his palace roof, looking at his kingdom, and said, “Is this not great Babylon, which I have built by my own power?” At that moment, a voice fell from heaven and said, “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you, it is spoken: the kingdom has departed you, and you shall be driven away from man, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field” (Daniel 4:31-32).

At that moment, he lost his mind. All his intellect and all his strength disappeared in an instant. He lived like a beast and ate grass like an ox. After seven years, the Lord restored him to his senses, and he began to rule again. After praising the Lord for restoring him, he says, “Those who walk in pride, he is able to humble” (Daniel 4:37).

Humility is a gift from God. We are unable to humble ourselves without the Lord’s work in our lives. If we could, we would quickly boast about it. If we recognize our dependence upon him, it is because the Holy Spirit has humbled us by bringing us to salvation. What a precious gift this is.

Still, even as Christians, we can think too highly of ourselves, and it is a blessing of the Lord when he lays us low with trials so we will once again look to him. Here is the beautiful thing about the Lord humbling his children; he brings us to a point where we are broken and contrite and then promises us that the broken and contrite, he will never turn away.

One day, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that he is Lord. His children will do it in this life thanks to his mercy, but those who reject him will bow on the day of judgment. No matter how great they thought they were, he will lay them low for all eternity. Those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

-D. Eaton