Jump Start # 458 

Isaiah 2:17 “The pride of man will be humbled and the loftiness of men will be abased; and the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.” 

  The prophet begins this chapter by telling about the establishment of God’s mountain, a prophesy about the Messianic kingdom that Christ would establish. Our verse echoes what is stated throughout the Bible, God doesn’t tolerate pride.

  Pride makes us think we are more important than we really are. Pride holds a mirror in front of us so that all we see is ourselves. It is hard for a proud person to admit anything but more pride. A proud person will excuse rather than apologize. He will justify rather than repent. He will be stubborn and fall before he acknowledges that he needs help. Pride in a marriage partner makes for long days of frustration. Pride in a church member makes everyone else weary.

  Isaiah is pointing to the day of the Lord’s greatest work—salvation of man. It is a day that the Lord is exalted. Jesus said that salvation is impossible for man, on his own. Parables such the unforgiving servant who owed his master 10,000 talents speak of the impossibility of salvation without God.

  We need God—there’s no other way.

  The funny thing about pride, most Bible students understand God’s distaste for it, but we struggle getting rid of it. The platform of discipleship is “denying self, taking up the cross and following Jesus.” Taking up the cross…following Jesus—without denying self won’t work. You’ll lay the cross down. You’ll argue and fuss about which way to follow—it happens all the time. The “denying self” stuff must come first. Jesus knew that. We know that. It’s just hard.

  Some of this comes from not seeing ourselves as we really are. We are broken and busted. We’ve tried it our way and it didn’t work. It also comes from not fully trusting God. Pride is a faith issue.

  It’s hard to talk to a proud person. It’s definitely impossible to disagree with a proud person. They are always right—always. It’s like the lady who was complaining about her marriage one day. She said, “When I married Mr. Right, I didn’t know his first name was ALWAYS.” So it is with a proud person.

  Can a proud person become humble and deny himself? He better, or he’s going to be in trouble with God. Sure he can. Easy? No. Lot’s of internal battles? Absolutely. Needs some course corrections now and then? Certainly. But it can be done. Zacchaeus seems to be one who did it. He changed dramatically. He found that Jesus made time for him, cared for him and was willing to come to his house. Jesus invited himself. No one would do that. He was a chief tax collector. Jesus did. His hard ways melted. He stood in the presence of the humble, loving Savior.

  That will do it every time! Fussing about pride won’t. Preaching about it doesn’t do much. Lecturing, threatening, screaming, walking away—none of those things work. Jesus does.

  When we learn Jesus, the humble and gentle one, we learn to be like Him. We learn that the universe doesn’t revolve around us. We learn that what happens to us isn’t the most important news of the day. We learn that traffic doesn’t stop when we get to an intersection of life. The truth being, most of us will be easily replaced at our jobs, even us preachers, if we died. Our families will miss us, but life goes on pretty smooth without us. 

  Might as well dismantle the pride. It doesn’t look well on you and it doesn’t get you what you think it does. Honesty, humbleness, and Christ-likeness fits you much better. Your family will be amazed. You’ll even feel better.

  Come unto Me, is what our Savior asks. Learn from Me, is His calling. Pride simply doesn’t fit in that picture.

Roger