Inside Out: A 40 Day Journey to Transforming Your HeartSample

Prideful Heart --> Humble Heart

What sort of clothes we wear tells us a little about ourselves. Do we dress to impress? Do we dress for the job that needs to be done? Do we prefer basketball shorts or yoga pants over pinstriped suits and pencil skirts? No matter what we choose to wear or why, we put on something every day. Every day we take the time to decide how we will clothe ourselves.  

The Bible tells us precisely what our wardrobe should consist of. It teaches us what we should faithfully wear each day, no matter who we are or what we do for a living. We are to put on humility.  1 Peter 5:5-6 says, "Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you."  

We are encouraged in the business world to dress for success. It doesn't matter the brand of our shoes or shirts that we wear if we don't have humility. If we chose to clothe ourselves with pride, focusing on what we've accomplished, we might receive brief admiration from others, but God will oppose us. James 4:6 says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 

Obadiah 1:3 says, "The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, 'Who will bring me down to the ground?'" Satan is our quintessential example of a prideful heart and its ramifications. He is one of God's most physically beautiful angels when it comes to outward beauty. Yet, he chose to clothe his heart with pride. He wanted to take God's position in heaven, and because of that, God had him fall from heaven and no longer be one of his angels.  Satan will receive the full wrath of God for his continual pride and rebellion at the end of time when he is thrown into the pit of hell. Proverbs 16:5 warns us that, "Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished." Maybe we don't feel the ramifications of our pride, but Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." When we choose to live pridefully, we will experience consequences, if not in this life, then in the life to come.  Psalm 101:5 says, "Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy.  Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure." We must assess if we have an arrogant heart because God will not be patient with our pride. 

Here are some ways we can assess our hearts to see if we are walking in pride or humility:  Proud people notice others' failures and are critical and judgmental. Humble people are overwhelmed by their sin and have mercy, compassion, and grace on others. Proud people look down on others. Humble people esteem others as better than themselves.  Proud people appear self-sufficient and keep others at arm's length.  Humble people recognize their need for others and are willing to be vulnerable. Proud people must be right. Humble people do not feel the need to be right because they don't assume they know everything. Proud people demand things and have expectations of others. Humble people surrender their rights for the sake of blessing others.  Proud people protect their rights, time, possessions, and reputation. Humble people deny themselves and don't have their identity in those things. Proud people expect to be served. Humble people serve others.  Proud people self-promote to advance themselves and to gain recognition and appreciation. Humble people look for opportunities to platform others to become successful and are thankful for whatever ways God uses them. Proud people feel confident in their knowledge and don't listen to others' advice. Humble people know they can grow in more wisdom and are teachable. Proud people are self-conscious and worry about their image. Humble people are not concerned with how others perceive them because their identity and confidence comes from the Lord. 

1 Peter 3:8 says, "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind." What we wear matters. Not on the outside, but the inside. The attitude of the heart dresses us for success in God's eyes. What if we care more about dressing our hearts in humility than what we wear on the outside? How might focusing on our character tell us more about our true selves than the clothes we wear? Let's focus on how we clothe ourselves internally each day, so we dress for God's plan and purpose for our lives. 

Take a Moment:

• What prideful attitudes do you need to take off so that you can wear humility in your life?

• How can wearing humility bring you success in your relationships and career? 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, please reveal to me where I have put on pride instead of humility. Help me to choose each morning to humble myself before You, remembering that I am saved by grace and desperately in need of Your mercy and forgiveness. Remind me that nothing I have accomplished has been by myself. May I decrease and may You increase in my life so that I can live out the character of humility.  Amen.