Pride...

Just finishing up my Bible Study this morning. The study was on Pride. The study looked at the price of pride in the story of King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26:3-21 and then at the foolishness of pride in the story of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4:24-37. Then I read in Numbers 12:1-8 of the reward of meekness and the practice of humility in Micah 6:6-8. And finally the yoke of pride in Matthew 11:28-30. In summary, this study warns that the Lord promises to "humble those that are exalted and promises to exalt those who are humble." In the Lord, we are exalted, not by the things we do, or say, or even think....but only by Him - who He is and what place we give Him in our lives! In the Lord, we can have rest and peace and gentleness and humbleness. He promises that His "burden is light." The yoke of pride is so heavy....always trying to fit that mask just right so people won't see our mistakes, our scars, our blemishes. What an incredibly heavy burden to bear - the yoke of pride! The end prayer this morning went like this: "Dear Lord, pride is like trying to keep a hippopotamus in a small apartment. I run myself ragged trying to feed it, but when visitors come, I try to think of ways to hide it. Help me to realize that pride has no appropriate place in my life. Help me resist the temptation to entertain even a tiny hippopotamus for just a little while. Let my life reveal the gentleness, humility and peace of being yoked with you. Amen."