Proverbs 16: 18-19 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Did you know that fear and pride often go together?
A Hebrew in an Egyptian Palace
Moses was brought up in the palace of Egypt. From a bystander’s perspective, he had everything required to flourish. But only Moses knew how it felt to be an outsider in an Egyptian palace.
Surely he was subject to taunts and ridicule by Pharaoh’s bloodline. And though we see Moses as a strong and confident young man in the palace, his psyche must have taken a battering.
So, one day, when he saw an Egyptian beating an Israelite, he only so much as glanced around to make sure no one was looking before he killed the Egyptian and saved the Israelite.
It was pride in his heritage that made him kill that man. And it was fear that made him run away from Egypt.
The Desert Experience
Years later, God commanded Moses to rescue the Israelites. By this time the harsh living conditions in Midian had drained his self-esteem. In fact, he told God that he wasn’t the right man for a task as such!
But God doesn’t need ability. He only needs availability!
Back in Egypt
Moses’ self-esteem was restored, without a touch of pride. He journeyed back to Egypt and visited Pharaoh multiple times to ask for freedom without success. What was the cause for such persistence?
- Lack of pride: Enabled him to keep trying.
- Lack of fear: The battle wasn’t his anymore. The battle belonged to God!
Eventually, Pharaoh’s resistance was broken and he pleaded with Moses to get the Israelites out of Egypt! Moses’ vision to save one man on his own was multiplied 600,000 times when God intervened. Now that’s success on a whole different level!
Are we prepared to surrender our pride and synergize with God? Get set, you’re in for a blessing beyond measure!
