SELF-PITY, DISSATISFACTION AND FINANCIAL WORRIES ARE THE BITTER FRUITS OF PRIDE

Self-pity is a clear indication of long-cherished pride. King Saul was almost an embodiment of pride. "There is none of you that is sorry for me" ( 1 Sam 22:8). Such people always complain and murmur (people of self pity are often complainers and murmurers also) saying, "nobody cares for me, nobody loves me, nobody understands, nobody accepts me". In other words, in their pride, they expect that everyone should care for them or love them. (Who are you and what greatness have you attained that everyone should love you or care for you?). The humble always will think of loving, helping and caring for others. A life of pouring out ourselves for the service of others and for the glory of God, is the most blessed and happiest life. In short, the proud concentrate on their rights (what others had not done for them) and the humble on their responsibilities (what they ought to do for others as children of God). The only right the humble have is to give up their rights. In otherwords, the proud are self-conscious and the humble are God-conscious.

Pride is the cause of greed and dissatisfaction. "Nothing is good enough for me - I deserve more, and more and more." Even if God does everything in the best way and gives the best, still he will be dissatisfied and complaining. The story is told of a woman who was always dissatisfied with her potato crops. She complained to the Pastor about how part of the crops turned out to be rotten potatoes. However, one year, the whole crop was very good and there was absolutely no rotten potatoes. Then she being thoroughly dissatisfied, complained: "Now what shall I give to my pigs?" The humble are always grateful and satisfied with what God has provided, whether little or much. Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Humility helps both - to have godliness and contentment or satisfaction.

Most of the financial debts are the result of pride. It is pride that says, "I need more and more comforts than what I can afford. I deserve more luxuries than what God has provided for me" (as if God is unfaithful and uncaring and not the faithful Provider). If the love of money is the root of all evil, then pride is the seed of all evil; as we know that the ROOT comes from the SEED. The humble live simple. The humble have no financial burden or worry. Humility and faith are perfectly linked or connected. See Matt 8:5-10 and Matt 15:22-28. The Syrophenician woman and the Centurion were praised for their great faith, as they both manifested great humility.

There are virtually millions of blessings in humility and many millions of evil in pride. The purpose of life on earth is to know God and enjoy God. Unless we learn humility we won't know or enjoy Him. May the dearLord help us to learn Christlike humility.