WHEN YOUR EGO MAKES A FOOL OUT OF YOU
LUKE 14:8-11
I. INTRODUCTION
WHENEVER WE LIVE AS IF THE WORLD CAN’T GET ALONG WITHOUT US, AND WE MAKE OURSELVES TO BE MORE THAN WHAT WE ARE, IT IS LIKE LIVING IN A GLASS HOUSE JUST WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO THROW A STONE, WHICH WILL CAUSE OUR HOUSE TO TUMBLE DOWN AROUND US. YES MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, ONE PROBLEM IN THE WORLD TODAY IS THAT OF EGOTISTICAL PRIDE. PRIDE, THE DESTROYER OF PERSONALITIES. PRIDE, THE BARRIER THAT BLOCKS HUMILITY. PRIDE, THE LAND MINE THAT HAS BLOWN MANY REPUTATIONS INTO SMITHEREENS. PRIDE, THAT THING THAT INFLATES OUR ATTITUDES, DISRUPTS OUR ALTITUDE, AND HINDERS OUR APTITUDE, IS A MAJOR STUMBLING BLOCK IN THIS WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE.
THERE ARE MANY WHO LIVE AS IF THE JOB JUST CAN’T FUNCTION UNLESS THEY ARE IN CHARGE. THERE ARE THOSE IN THE SPRITUAL ARENA WHO EGOTISTICALLY FEEL AS IF EVERTHING IN THE CHURCH CENTERS AROUND THEM. BUT MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, YOUR EGO CAN MAKE A FOOL OUT OF YOU IN THAT WHILE YOU THINK THAT YOU ARE ALL OF THAT, OTHERS ARE LAUGHING, TALKING, AND EVEN CRITICIZING YOU BEHIND YOUR BACK.
HOW MANY OF US KNOW SOMEONE THAT THEIR PRIDE HAS MESSED THEM UP? HOW MANY OF BEAR WITNESS TO THE FACT THAT INFLATED EGO’S GET BUSTED RATHER ABRUPTLY? YES MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTER, IF WE DON’T GET THE BEST OF OUR EGO’S, OUR EGO’S WILL GET THE BEST OF US, AND I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT YOUR EGO CAN MAKE A FOOL OUT OF YOU.
II. THE TEXT
BECAUSE OF THE HIGH MINDEDNESS OF THE DOCTORS OF THE LAW, AND THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF THE DAY, HE MAKES A PROFOUND STATEMENT DEALING WITH PRIDE. THE DOCTORS OF THE LAW AND THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS FELT THAT THEY WERE THE GREATEST THING GOING. THEY SOUGHT THE HIGHEST SEATS AT BANQUETS, FEASTS, AND OTHER SOCIAL GATHERINGS, OFTEN WITHOUT INVITATIONS. THE HIGH PLACES WERE PLACES OF HONOR AND RESPECT, RESERVED FOR THOSE THEY WERE DESIGNED FOR. ISN’T IT STRANGE HOW FOLK WANT TO SIT IN PLACES THEY HAVE NOT EARNED? PAUL SAYS IN ROMANS 12:3,” FOR I SAY, THROUGH THE GRACE GIVEN UNTO ME, TO EVERY MAN THAT IS AMONG YOU, NOT TO THINK OF HIMSELF MORE HIGHLY THAN HE OUGHT TO THINK. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE ASKED UP, THAN TO BE ASKED DOWN.
THE MASTER GIVES A MARVELOUS LESSON IN HUMILITY. HE SAYS THAT IF YOU TAKE A SEAT THAT IS NOT YOURS, THE HOST WILL ASK YOU TO TAKE A LOWER SEAT, GIVING WAY TO THE PERSON THAT THE SEAT IS SAVED FOR, THEN YOU WILL BE SHAMED OR EMBARRASED. HAVING AN INFLATED EGO CAN BRING MUCH DISCOMFORT, DISCONTENTMENT, AND DISCOURAGEMENT. THE BEST WAY TO BE EXALTED IS TO HAVE HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, ALLOWING THE LORD TO DO THE EXALTING. 1 PETER 5: 6,” HUMBLE YOURSELVES THEREFORE UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD, THAT HE MAY EXALT YOU IN DUE TIME.” MATT. 23:12, “AND WHOSOEVER SHALL EXALT HIMSELF SHALL BE ABASED; AND HE THAT SHALL HUMBLE HIMSELF SHALL BE EXALTED.”
THOSE OF US WHO SERVE IN LEADERSHIP CAPACITIES MUST LEARN, UNDERSTAND, AND APPLY THE PRINCIPLES OF GODLY HUMILITY IN OUR LIVES. THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS FELT AS IF THEY WERE INDISPENSABLE AND UNREPLACEABLE. BUT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, EVERYBODY, YES EVERYBODY CAN BE REPLACED.
III. EGOTISTICAL PRIDE
EGOTISTICAL PRIDE CAN IMPEDE SPRITUAL GROWTH, WHICH WILL LEAVE A PERSON PUFFED UP PHYSICALL, BUT DEFLATED SPIRITUALLY. JAMES 4:6, “WHEREFORE HE SAITH, GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD, BUT GIVETH GRACE UNTO THE HUMBLE.” MANY INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE THE FAVOR OF MEN BUT NOT THE FAVOR OF GOD, BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO PROUD TO BE INSTRUMENTS FOR GOD.
AN EGOCTISTICAL OUTLOOK OFTEN LEADS TO SANCTIMONIOUS SNOBBERY, AND EXALTED SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. IN OTHER WORDS, PEOPLE SEE THE FAULTS IN OTHERS BUT NEVER IN THEMSELVES. THEY CAN ALWAYS TELL YOU WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU, AND THEIR OWN LIVES ARE ALL MESSED UP. THEY LOOK DOWN ON OTHERS, THEY DON’T HELP OTHERS, BUT YET THEY PUT ON THE FACTIOUS FACOD THAT THEY ARE PLEASING GOD.
LISTEN AT WHAT THE BIBLE DECLARES ABOUT PRIDE. PSALMS 101:5, “HIM WILL I CUT OFF: HIM THAT HATH AN HIGH LOOK AND A PROUD HEART WILL NOT I SUFFER.” PSALMS 138:6, “BUT THE PROUD HE KNOWETH AFAR OFF.” PROVERBS 6:16, “THESE SIX THINGS DOTH THE LORD HATE: YEA, SEVEN ARE AN ABOMINATION UNTO HIM: A PROUD LOOK, A LYING TONGUE, AND HANDS THAT SHED INNOCENT BLOOD.”
NOW LISTEN AT THE EXERPTS CONCERNING HUMBLENESS. JOB 22:29, “WHEN MEN ARE CAST DOWN, THEN THOU SHALT SAY, THERE IS LIFTING UP; AND HE SHALL SAVE THE HUMBLE PERSON.” PSALMS 9:12, “HE FORGETTETH NOT THE CRY OF THE HUMBLE.” PROVERBS 16:19, “BETTER IT IS TO BE OF AN HUMBLE SPIRIT WITH THE LOWLY, THAN TO DIVIDE THE SPOIL WITH THE PROUD.” PROVERBS 29:23, “A MAN’S PRIDE SHALL BRING HIM LOW: BUT HONOUR SHALL UPHOLD THE HUMBLE IN SPIRIT.” JAMES 4:10, “HUMBLE YOURSELVES IN THE SIGHT OF THE LORD, AND HE SHALL LIFT YOU UP.”
AS I STUDIED THESE PROLIFIC PASSAGES MY MIND FOCUSED ON THREE POINTS. ONE, PRIDE ENSARES A PERSON, LEAVING THEM UNAPPEALING TO THE LORD. TWO, PRIDE CAN TARNISH OUR CHARACTER BEFORE GOD AND MEN. THREE, GOD IS LOOKING FOR THE HUMBLE TO SUBMIT TO WILL HIS WILL, TO DO HIS WILL.
