Pride Builds Walls; Humility Builds Bridges
Philippians 2:5, 8
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Jesus “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
Additional Reading
Proverbs 16:18; James 4:6–10
Devotional
One of the greatest enemies of church unity is not outside the church.
It is inside the human heart.
Pride.
Pride does not always announce itself.
Sometimes pride sounds like:
“I have to be right.”
“They owe me an apology.”
“Nobody appreciates me.”
“They didn't ask my opinion.”
“I've been here longer.”
“This is how we've always done it.”
“They hurt me, so I'm finished with them.”
Pride can wear religious clothing and still be pride.
The opposite of pride is not weakness.
It is humility.
And the greatest picture of humility the world has ever seen is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the eternal Son of God, yet He humbled Himself.
He served.
He washed feet.
He endured rejection.
He accepted humiliation.
And ultimately, He became obedient to death on a cross.
Think about that.
If Jesus Christ could humble Himself to that degree, who are we to demand our own way?
Pride builds walls.
Humility builds bridges.
Pride says, “They need to come to me.”
Humility says, “I'll take the first step.”
Pride says, “I deserve better.”
Humility says, “How can I serve?”
Pride says, “I must win.”
Humility asks, “How can Christ be glorified?”
A church full of people demanding their rights will eventually become a battlefield.
A church full of believers surrendering themselves to Christ can become a family.
That does not mean truth becomes unimportant. Biblical humility never requires surrendering God's Word.
It means we distinguish between God's truth and our preference.
Some things are worth standing for.
Other things are simply not worth dividing over.
The question is not merely, “Am I right?”
A more Christlike question may be:
“Does the way I am handling this look like Jesus?”
Revival cannot flourish where arrogance reigns.
If we want God to revive His church, humility must begin in us.
Reflection Questions
Where has pride shown up most clearly in my life recently?
Do I have difficulty admitting when I am wrong?
Is there someone I am waiting on to make the first move toward reconciliation?
Have I confused a personal preference with biblical conviction?
In what specific relationship is God asking me to choose humility?
Prayer
Father, expose the pride in my heart. Give me the mind of Christ. Teach me to serve instead of demanding, forgive instead of resenting, and humble myself rather than insisting on my own way. Build bridges through my life instead of walls. Amen.