I think that one of the most profound truths in all of Scripture is found in our reading in James this week. It’s right here, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
- When things are going well and we think that it’s because of all the good that we’re doing, God opposes us.
- When we refuse to acknowledge that God is in control and that we are not, God opposes us.
- When we insist on our own way, God opposes us.
- When we take the credit and ignore giving God the glory, God opposes us.
- When we put our desires in front of others, God opposes us.
- When we choose bravado to cover up our insecurities, God opposes us.
Why? God opposes us like a “BRIDGE-OUT-AHEAD” sign opposes a driver. God opposes us like a loving father opposes a child who hasn’t looked both ways before crossing the busy street. God opposes us in our pride because our pride will lead us to destruction (Proverbs 16:18).
Jesus shows such opposition to the proud in his day in Luke 6:24–26,
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.”
So, what do you do when God opposes you? James says, “Humble yourself.”
I love the call to be humble because it’s a call to stop pretending. Pride is a lie. Pride is posturing, trying to pretend that we’re something that we know that we’re not. Humility is a return to the earth from which we were formed. Humility is a homecoming.
And when we’ve been prideful, repenting from our pride and turning back to humility is painful.
James says, “Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:9–10). That doesn’t sound easy. But we’re to stop putting our joy in our riches, our full bellies, our laughter, our social-status, or whatever prideful source of joy we have. Crucify it. Mourn. Hold a funeral for your pride. But, soon, you’ll find new life. A life of true joy that isn’t founded on the way that this world measures pride and boasting against humiliation and shame. You’ll find a joy that is rooted in God’s grace and the way that he feels about you. His grace will lift you and me up, provided we return home to humility, and in so doing, return to God.
