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All About You
God sends no one away empty
except those who are full of themselves.
Dwight Moody
Those words characterize what happened when the ruler heard Jesus say he should sell all he had, give it to the poor, and follow Him. The reason he and so many others go away empty is because of pride. Pride feeds on itself. It can grow in a heart without being sustained by the praise or admiration of others.
The faces of pride are:
“I want it my way.”
“What about me?”
“I don’t have to listen to anybody.”
“Who cares what you think?”
“I have rights too, you know.”
“I don’t need God.
We usually give pride a name. Proud adults are called “hard-headed,” “hard-nosed,” or “cold-hearted.” Proud children are called “stuck-up,” “snobbish,” “cocky,” “conceited,” or “too-good.” Whether you are a child or an adult, everyone should know, “when pride cometh then cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2).
Giving in to pride is sure ruin, even though people think it is the way to happiness. Real happiness is the way of humility! Is that a surprise? James said it best in James 4:10: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall exalt you.” Jesus said it is the way of a child (Matthew 18:1-6). The greatness of an individual is whether or not he or she can resolve to be and live content as a servant. It is the way Jesus understood it. Can we understand the same?
