Judging from his epistles, the Apostle Paul had to deal with the problem of arrogance and pride in the various churches where he served. In his letter to the church at Corinth, he took on those who were "arrogant in behalf of one against the other." Think of the way high schools or colleges promote their teams by putting down their opponents; that's what was happening in Corinth.
Paul asks these boastful believers three questions:
"Who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (I Corinthians 4:7)
This set of rhetorical questions expresses in a nutshell the central theological truth that the Corinthians, in their divisiveness, and hunger for supremacy, seem to have forgotten: all their abilities, opportunities, and blessings are from God, so they should not boast. What did they have that you did not receive?
Great questions. Let's spend a moment on each.
1) "Who regards you as superior?" That, in case you did not recognize it, is a putdown. "Exactly who decided you were better than the others?" he wants to know. Who deemed you superior?
This is spiritual pride, and it is rampant in many areas of Christianity.
You've heard people say, "Who died and made you God for a day ?" That's the contemporary version of Paul's question: "Who thinks you are superior?" He's implying no one would.
2) "What do you have that you did not receive?" That is the human situation.
We've all received everything we have; we created nothing from scratch.
None of us are self-made.
Pride is not only foolish, it's illogical. Why be boastful and arrogant about something you had nothing to do with? One might as well get puffed up over the sunset or a lovely flower or the intelligence of the neighbor's children, as over our talents and abilities; it's all from God and nothing we have done.
3) "And if you received it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" The answer is: because we like to play these little games with ourselves. "Let's pretend I did this all by myself. Let's pretend I am self sufficient."
It is this "pride of success" that ultimately lays the ground work for most people's eventual demise. When we begin to "pretend we are the source", it is only one step removed from pretending we are exempt from the rules that govern others.
I could start naming the names of seemly great men in every walk of life. The magnitude of their moral failure is only eclipsed by their brazen hypocrisy, and lack of self control.
"Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."
Humility and thankfulness are the antidote for pride and arrogance.
Pride and arrogance are the doors through which all moral and intellectual failure comes.
" Whom the gods would destroy they first make proud."
Nothing is more attractive--or more surprising--in a truly successful individual than humility. That's probably because it's so rare.
Two of the most successful men I know pastor very large and growing churches. One was born into a great family of religious prominence, the other is a reformed hippie. Both have the ability to awe you with their very presence, yet they are humble men, who make each person they meet feel genuinely important.
My wife and I have met both of these men at large national meetings, and have always walked away amazed at the humility they display, which seems to emanate from a heart of genuine concern about us.
"He who would be great among you," Jesus said to the cluster of disciples who were all ears and taking this down, "let him be your servant." (Mark 10:43)
Not what they wanted to hear. They were looking for some magical formula from the Lord on how to achieve lasting and obvious greatness in this life, a short cut to the front of the line. To them, that meant the same thing it means in our culture: everyone knowing your name, everyone moving out of your way, the applause of the crowd.
"If you ever see a turtle on a fencepost, you know he didn't get there by himself"
As always thank you for reading, your comments are always welcome.
Lm
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