“Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at every proud man and bring him low, look at every proud man and humble him, crush the wicked where they stand.” – Job 40:12
J.B. Phillips was a successful pastor and prolific author in the mid-twentieth century. His books sold into the millions and are still popular today. Phillips’s legendary success established him as a leading voice in the work of the church all around the world.
But in Phillips’s autobiography, “The Price of Success”, he personally laments the great cost of his worldly success. He writes:
“I was in a state of some excitement throughout 1955. My work was intrinsically exciting. My health was excellent; my future prospects were rosier than my wildest dreams could suggest; applause, honor and appreciation met me everywhere I went.
I was well aware of the dangers of sudden wealth and took some severe measures to make sure that, although comfortable, I should never be rich. I was not nearly so aware of the dangers of success. The subtle corrosion of character, the unconscious changing of values and the secret monstrous growth of a vastly inflated idea of myself seeped slowly into me.
Vaguely I was aware of this and, like some frightful parody of St. Augustine, I prayed, “Lord, make me humble, but not yet.” I can still savor the sweet and gorgeous taste of it all: the warm admiration, the sense of power, of overwhelming ability, of boundless energy and never-failing enthusiasm. It is very plain to me now why my one-man kingdom of power and glory had to stop.”
One sin the Lord hates is pride. He desires humility in us as we look to Him for our source of strength. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He is all-powerful and it is through the blood of Jesus we are saved by His grace.
“Pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes.” – John Ruskin
God’s Word: “They will spread out their hands in it, as a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim. God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands.” – Isaiah 25:11
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