Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:26, NKJV).
Look in the Mirror
I do not like mirrors because they always disappoint me, and invariably prevent me from nurturing my most cherished self-delusions. For a Christian though, that's a good thing. In fact, I can't think of anything more oxymoronic than a puffed-up follower of Christ; someone who thinks they are something when the Bible teaches quite plainly that we are nothing, the "offscouring" of the world. "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29, NKJV).
That's us: unwise, powerless, ignoble, foolish, weak, base, despised, insubstantial and inglorious. For someone who is helpless and hopeless, becoming conceited simply proves everything that God says about us. And the definition of the Greek word used is perfect: glorying without reason. That's why Paul declares that “…he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” (2 Corinthians 10:17, NKJV). For the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul to warn us about something means that if we do not heed the warning, what He warns against is precisely what will occur. Never, ever disregard the many warnings in Scripture. It would be more senseless than ignoring a "Bridge Out" sign on the highway.
Conceit leads to provocation, one way or another. The mere fact of being confronted by someone who is conceited is, in and of itself, provoking. Plus, someone who is conceited deludedly thinks he or she has a basis from which to provoke someone else with impunity. I see it all the time in our dogs. The smaller one thinks he is unbelievably special, and has no qualms about strutting self-importantly all over the house like he owns the place, and all in his presence should be overwhelmingly grateful that he deigns to abide in the same universe they do. Frankly, his attitude provokes me to prove otherwise, which being several times his size and somewhat smarter than he is, I can do with remarkable success. Yet, he remains unrepentant.
At the same time, this narcissistic poodle is unaccountably envious of any affection shown to anyone else in the household, particularly when it is directed towards his larger, and more humble canine counterpart, who has seniority in terms of age and time-in-grade as a pet. It's ridiculous and demonstrates that provocation and envy are partners in crime, even in the pet world. In fact, if it weren't for the little one's saving grace of insane devotion to my wife I would be provoked to make his life much less comfortable.
So we are warned within the church of Christ not to be these things to one another. It is unseemly to those on the outside, and disruptive of unity on the inside. And I would not be surprised if Christ, the Head of the Church, would not be righteously provoked to make our lives on earth much less comfortable in response. Pride is an ugly thing indeed, and spiritual pride is particularly obnoxious.
The remedy is to look constantly in the mirror the Bible provides and fully understand who we really are: miserable unreasoning sinners saved by grace. Nothing to boast about in that, except to boast in the Savior.
"For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (1 Corinthians 4:7, NKJV).
Look in the Mirror
I do not like mirrors because they always disappoint me, and invariably prevent me from nurturing my most cherished self-delusions. For a Christian though, that's a good thing. In fact, I can't think of anything more oxymoronic than a puffed-up follower of Christ; someone who thinks they are something when the Bible teaches quite plainly that we are nothing, the "offscouring" of the world. "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence." (1 Corinthians 1:26-29, NKJV).
That's us: unwise, powerless, ignoble, foolish, weak, base, despised, insubstantial and inglorious. For someone who is helpless and hopeless, becoming conceited simply proves everything that God says about us. And the definition of the Greek word used is perfect: glorying without reason. That's why Paul declares that “…he who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” (2 Corinthians 10:17, NKJV). For the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul to warn us about something means that if we do not heed the warning, what He warns against is precisely what will occur. Never, ever disregard the many warnings in Scripture. It would be more senseless than ignoring a "Bridge Out" sign on the highway.
Conceit leads to provocation, one way or another. The mere fact of being confronted by someone who is conceited is, in and of itself, provoking. Plus, someone who is conceited deludedly thinks he or she has a basis from which to provoke someone else with impunity. I see it all the time in our dogs. The smaller one thinks he is unbelievably special, and has no qualms about strutting self-importantly all over the house like he owns the place, and all in his presence should be overwhelmingly grateful that he deigns to abide in the same universe they do. Frankly, his attitude provokes me to prove otherwise, which being several times his size and somewhat smarter than he is, I can do with remarkable success. Yet, he remains unrepentant.
At the same time, this narcissistic poodle is unaccountably envious of any affection shown to anyone else in the household, particularly when it is directed towards his larger, and more humble canine counterpart, who has seniority in terms of age and time-in-grade as a pet. It's ridiculous and demonstrates that provocation and envy are partners in crime, even in the pet world. In fact, if it weren't for the little one's saving grace of insane devotion to my wife I would be provoked to make his life much less comfortable.
So we are warned within the church of Christ not to be these things to one another. It is unseemly to those on the outside, and disruptive of unity on the inside. And I would not be surprised if Christ, the Head of the Church, would not be righteously provoked to make our lives on earth much less comfortable in response. Pride is an ugly thing indeed, and spiritual pride is particularly obnoxious.
The remedy is to look constantly in the mirror the Bible provides and fully understand who we really are: miserable unreasoning sinners saved by grace. Nothing to boast about in that, except to boast in the Savior.
"For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" (1 Corinthians 4:7, NKJV).
