Have you ever stopped to think about how arrogant you are?
I know, you read that question and want to smart off to me, “well
Brad do YOU know how arrogant YOU are???” Just so you know, I wasn’t
thinking about you when I wrote that question. Really it would be best
addressed sitting in front of a mirror and asking myself that question.
(Probably a good exercise for you too J
)
There is a mirror that we need to look into to frame our
question, the mirror of God’s Word. This week we are in James 4:13-17 and that
is essentially how James starts the section when he questions the arrogance in
our plans, our thoughts on life and our sense of entitlement.
Arrogance in our
Plans
“Today or tomorrow we will go…” James is attacking the
person who has a false certainty of their future. When we become prideful and
feel like we are guaranteed the future that we want, we need a corrective lens.
We want to be lord of our own life.
So easily we make plans for our future in education, career,
family, etc. Even as believers we make these plans without acknowledging their
dependence on God. In High School I wrote a paper, “Where I Will Be in 10
Years.” I detailed that paper down to pretty precise aspects, including naming
the girl I was going to marry and how many children we would have. How did that
work out for me you ask?
Well let’s see, I did not get married to her, or any other
girl for that matter. Although 10 years after I wrote this paper, she did have
3 children with her husband. I did not go into the career I wrote about or
experience anything on that list. The only part that came true for me, was I
did live 10 years after that paper.
One thing missing from my paper was my dependence on God. I
did not acknowledge the fact that each day was a gift that I didn’t deserve. I
didn’t acknowledge God’s master plan and inquire from Him how I was to fit into
His will. No, I arrogantly sat down and wrote my thoughts on what I thought was
the ideal life.
Now almost 20 years after I penned that paper I can say I am
so thankful for His plan for my life. It was so far beyond anything that I
could have imagined and I am thankful that I get to do what I do.
Arrogance in our
Thoughts on Life
Especially in our youth, we think life will last forever. We
think we are invincible and we can do whatever we want. We are not guaranteed
tomorrow, or even the next moment. Our very breath is dependent on God.
James says “what is your life? It is as a vapor that appears
for a little while and vanishes away.”
As is my custom, I enjoy a good cup of hot coffee. I love
waking up in the morning and warming up while holding a hot cup watching the
steam arise. The whole experience is wonderful. However, it is short lived. The
steaming vapors rise up and disappear.
That is how life is. It is short, unexpected and not
guaranteed. I am not lord of my life, I am dependent upon God for my life.
Arrogance in our
sense of Entitlement
We feel like we are the arbiters of good. We can choose what
we want to do when we want to do it. We are owed a good life, aren’t we? We
deserve to have our own way, right?
No! James says that God is watching and knows when we see
something we should do, but don’t do it because it would inconvenience us, it
is a sin. How can something be a sin if we are the lord of our own life? We are
not lord of our own life, God is.
The Antidote to
Arrogance: Humility
The proper recognition of ourselves before God is the only
way to overcome this inordinate arrogance. God is the Creator, Jesus is the
Savior, and He has bought us with a price. Our whole life and existence belongs
to Him.
So instead of making plans, we acknowledge that only if God
wills us to do something can we actually do it. When we wake up in the morning
we are to be thankful for the gift of another day. When we go throughout our
day, we look to be obedient followers of Christ.
We were created by God to find our fullest satisfaction and
greatest joy in Him. Look to Him today and celebrate His goodness in your life.
Ask Him to guide your steps and surrender your future to Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment