Pride and Humility

One of the ideas that surfaces frequently in Jesus' ministry is that of not "exalting" ourselves.

For example, while eating with a Pharisee on one occasion, Jesus noticed the way in which guests invited to the dinner typically seated themselves in the most promient place available (Luke 14:7ff.). No one wanted to take the lowest seat - that furtherst from the host or guest of honour. Instead, everyone clamoured for the highest position.

Seeing this, Jesus told a parable about a wedding feast. "When someone invites you to a wedding feast," he said, "do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place'. Then you will be honoured in the presence of all your fellow guests" (vv. 8-10).

So that his hearer's wouldn't miss the point of this story, Jesus adds, "Everyone who exalts hismelf will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (v. 11). That's the lesson: exalt yourself - that is, promote yourself before others - and you will be humbled. Humble yourself - take a genuinely lowly view of yourself - and you will be exalted or honoured before others. That's a law of the kingdom of God.

Self-promotion doesn't fit well with our true place in God's scheme of things. It smacks of a spirit of self-importance, self-satisfaction, self-achievement. All of these are elements of human pride, something abominable to God. The truth is that there is nothing that we have or are in ourselves that is not ultimately a gift of God. To boast in our achievements, good looks, intelligence or the like robs God of his honour. That's what makes a self-assertive spirit so repugnant to him.

Much better is the attitude that recognises that all we have comes from him. When that - the true fear of God - permeates our being, it puts another complexion on our achievements. Not only does it recognise their true source, but it makes them appear for what they are - the imperfect works of an unprofitable servant (Luke 17:10).

This truth applies to farmers as much it does to anyone else. The temptation to be self-promoting haunts the modern farmer just as it does others. We've got a marvellous paddock of wheat or barely, and we want others to know about it. Our sheep have performed well this lambing, and we make our lambing percentages a common talking point. Our cows have milked well this year, and so we broadcast our butterfat yields.

Outstanding achievements are to be enjoyed. A humble spirit receives them with gratitude, giving credit to God. A self-promoting attitude, however, broadcasts perfromance and basks in the glory. People who do this set themselves up for a fall.