Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Romans 12:16
Thoughtful Christians find themselves wondering what God is doing in this troubling season of our national life.
None of us knows the answer to this question. But when pride is being paraded before us day after day, and we find ourselves saying, “Turn it off. I can’t listen to this news anymore!” Perhaps it means we are at a moment when we can learn to hate one of our own worst sins.
Perhaps God will bring us to a place of saying today, “Lord, deliver me from ever having haughty eyes. May I never look down on another person. Lord, may I never be wise in my own sight. Make me humble, ready to be taught by you and by others.”
The gospel cuts pride to shreds, because it casts all of us on the mercy of God. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:23-24). The gospel moved the apostle Paul from seeing himself as “the cream of the crop” to “the chief of sinners” (see Phil. 3:6, 1 Tim. 1:15).
In the gospel, God destroys pretentions and He abolishes distinctions. There is one way to peace with God for those who are far and for those who are near. There is one hope for those who are rich and poor. There is one sacrifice for the sins of Jews and Gentiles. There is one Savior whose arms are open to all who will humble themselves and come to Him.
So do not be overcome by the pride and arrogance around you. Do not be haughty! Never be wise in your own eyes. Do not be overcome by evil; overcome evil with good. In the light of God’s mercy… live in harmony with one another.
Why does the cross exclude any boasting on our part?
