2023-01-16
1 Peter 5:6 NLT
Have you ever looked down on someone because they didn’t share or possess the advantages that you enjoy in life? Do you feel superior to others in any aspect of your life? Do you believe that being part of a particular denomination puts you in a special class? Maybe your well-toned physique makes you feel superior to the overweight multitudes. And what if you are renowned in your community? Do you think you should always be escorted to front-row seats at public meetings? If so, it’s time to submit your attitude to the Holy Spirit.
But when it comes to elitism, there is another side to the coin. It’s possible to label a person or a group as elitist merely because they enjoy a particular advantage that you find intimidating and alienating due to your own self-doubt, or to try to improve your image in others’ eyes. Politicians do this. A candidate may accuse his opponent of elitism simply because of access to family wealth, or a diploma from a prominent university, or a high profile, or influential friends. As a result, that opponent accuses the other of reaching out to blue-collar workers and being disingenuous about how regular and down to earth they are.
In the final analysis, it’s not what you do but what you believe that establishes whether you have an elitist attitude. The truth is, it’s easy to spot pride in others and hard to see it in yourself. That’s why Peter writes, “Humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honour.”
Soul food: Isa 45-48; Luke 3:1-10; Ps 79; Prov 2:9-10
2023-01-15
1 Corinthians 15:10 NLT
Anytime you think less of someone because they’re not a member of your race, denomination, gender, or social group, you’re displaying an elitist attitude. Elitism is rooted in pride, and “God opposes the proud but favours the humble” (James 4:6 NLT).
Here are two Bible examples of the elitist “they are not one of us” attitude: (1) When God poured out His Spirit upon the seventy elders who led Israel, they all prophesied. Two of them were not present when it happened. Later, Joshua saw them prophesying and reported it to Moses. “‘My lord, forbid them!’ Then Moses said to him, ‘Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!'” (Numbers 11:28-29 NKJV). Joshua believed that only a select group were qualified.
(2) “John said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.’ ‘Don’t stop him!’ Jesus said. ‘No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us'” (Mark 9:38-40 NLT).
If you exclude others or feel superior to them in any aspect of life, read these words from Paul: “But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favour on me – and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.”
Soul food: 1 Cor 13; Dan 6:1-24
2023-01-14
Romans 12:3 NLT
Paul writes: “Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well” (vv. 3-6 NLT).
Paul is teaching us this important principle: “Don’t have an elitist attitude!” If you are an elitist, you must deal with the truth that every advantage or favour you enjoy is a gift from God (See 1 Corinthians 4:7). Whatever God has given you or allowed you to accomplish must never be used for personal exultation.
Even if you think you achieved each of them on your own, read these words and take them to heart: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being… he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names” (Philippians 2:3-9 NLT).
Soul food: Isa 42-44; Luke 2:41-52; Ps 74:12-23; Prov 2:7-8
2023-01-13
Romans 12:3 GNT
“‘Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: “I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else… I don’t cheat… sin… commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.” But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted'” (Luke 18:10-14 NLT).
The lesson in this story is, God has more tolerance for an honest sinner than a self-righteous Christian. When the Pharisee was congratulating himself for the sins he didn’t commit – cheating, adultery, etc. – he was guilty of the sin of spiritual pride.
Question: What good behavior is a source of pride to you? Do you measure others by your performance and mark their scorecard accordingly? The only performance that makes any of us acceptable to God is based on Christ’s performance on the cross. “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT).
The righteousness that saves us is imputed – not earned. So don’t be self-righteous!
Soul food: Isa 38-41; Luke 2:34-40; Ps 74:1-11; Prov 2:6
2023-01-12
Numbers 12:11 NKJV
If you think criticizing others is just exercising your right to free speech and it’s no big deal, stop and consider these three things: (1) God saw it as a sin when Aaron and Miriam criticized Moses for marrying an Ethiopian woman. He smote Miriam with leprosy, and Aaron was quick to repent: “We have done foolishly… we have sinned.” Yes, God healed Miriam, but not before she had been publicly embarrassed.
(2) A critical attitude will hurt you relationally. “Then the Lord said to Moses… ‘Let her be shut out of the camp seven days, and afterward she may be received again'” (v.14 NKJV). Leprosy was contagious, and those who had it were isolated from others. There is an important lesson here. When you become known for a critical attitude, people will distance themselves from you and avoid you. It’s a trust issue; they know if you will talk to them about others, you will talk to others about them.
(3) A critical attitude hinders everybody’s progress. “So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again” (v.15 NKJV). Have you ever been part of an organization where one fault-finding person destroyed the effectiveness and hindered the progress of the entire group?
(4) A critical attitude hurts your relationship with God. “Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbours or speak evil of their friends… Such people will stand firm forever” (Psalm 15:1-3, 5 NLT).
Soul food: Isa 34-37; Luke 2:21-33; Ps 71:17-24; Prov 2:3-5
2023-01-11
Psalm 19:8 NKJV
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes… More to be desired are they than gold… sweeter also than honey… by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (vv. 7-8, 10-14 NKJV).
This prayer shows that the psalmist regarded meditation as an utter necessity to his spiritual life. And if that was true for him in his day, how much more vital is it for you today! You need to bathe your mind each day in the waters of God’s Word so that your words and your thoughts are pleasing in His sight.
Use your time – the start of the day, at coffee break, during your lunchtime, riding home from work, before falling asleep at night – to reflect upon the truth of God’s Word. The greatest changes in your life will come through the process of meditating on the Scriptures – just letting the Word of God filter and percolate through your mind and into your life. First-class Bible reading calls not for snapshots but for timed exposures.
Soul food: Isa 30-33; Luke 2:8-20; Ps 71:1-16; Prov 2:1-2
