Perhaps one of the greatest threats to the average Christian is the umbrella of Pride. Now why do I call it an umbrella? Well, I believe it tends to act as one. Pride will cover us, creating a barrier between our over-confident self and the God who could humble us if only we acknowledge Him.
One of my favorite verses is Hosea 6:3, for we are told that God "...will come unto us like the rain." I think I connect with this verse so much because I simply love the rain - in fact, I'm in awe of it many times. Maybe it's the hum of heavy rainfall or perhaps the unity of one drop following along with its flock, like birds migrating for winter. It's beautiful. Powerful. And to think that this is how God interacts with us, beautifully and powerfully? Well, that's far more amazing than the rain I watch.
I love this metaphor because I can picture God, acting as the powerful rain, pouring life into us - into me. It seems nearly perfect. But it is here, in this rainstorm, where we meet the umbrella of Pride. We tightly grip the handle and hold our umbrella close, creating a barrier that repels the full impact of God. Now we may take in some of God's influence, just as some drops of rain may bounce off the ground and land on our shoes, or wind may blow the rain against our legs, but we will never receive all God has for us this way.
Metaphor aside, what would this look like in our life? Well, it looks like a man who cannot acknowledge his own insignificance in the presence of God. And unfortunately, sometimes, it looks a lot like us. Pride will cause us to forget how incomprehensibly greater God is than we are. And when we forget that, we will no longer fear Him.
When God speaks in Isaiah 55:8, declaring, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," this is what I think of. I am reminded of how much greater and more powerful God is than I am. I am reminded that He can do the impossible. I am reminded that without Him, I can do nothing. I am humbled. And if He is so much greater, why do I ever trust my abilities above His? It seems silly, doesn't it?
C.S. Lewis said, "The real test of being in the presence of God is, that you either forget about yourself altogether or see yourself as a small, dirty object."
This is the reality of comparing creation to the Creator. We are not much in the presence of God - in fact, most of the time, we're not even good. We are just sinners in need of a Savior.
However, when Pride is in the picture, you will forget all of that. Here's the difference. A proud man will ask, "Why should I need a Savior if I am so good?" while the humble man will ask, "Why do I deserve a Savior if I am so bad?"
I pray we can become humbled in the presence of God, because here's the good news: God can use a humble man. A humble man can do good when he has God working with Him. A proud man, not so much.
When we are humble, we will, perhaps see ourselves as small, dirty objects; however, God will never see us as such. He will see a forgiven sinner, a beloved child, and He will begin to make us into something beautiful.
