DAILY DEVOTION, April 24, 2021

God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

In a few words, James presents us with a profound truth. Some people will find that God resists them.  They are proud. Others will find that they are the recipients of God’s grace. They are the humble. This is one of those spiritual truths that operates round the clock. God always resists the proud and always gives grace to the humble.

I don’t know this for sure, having never been to Australia, but I understand there are tiny spiders there who have very colorful abdomens. They are called peacock spiders. The males try to impress the females by showing off their colorful abdomens.

Some of us are like these spiders. We want to draw attention to ourselves by displaying our brilliant minds, or bodies, our talents or our wealth, or whatever. The effort to draw attention to ourselves may impress people, but God is not impressed. Pride always puts us at odds with God, not a good place to be! 

If you wish to receive God’s grace, His unmerited favor, that blessing is reserved for the humble. The humble are those who are not seeking to exalt themselves. They are often embarrassed when others seek to praise them. They seek to use their gifts to honor God even if no one else notices.

When God looks at us what does He see, pride or humility? Pride will always repel God. Humility is like a magnet that attracts the grace of God into our lives.

Gracious Father, I ask You to help me turn aside from pride. Help me to look continually at the life of Jesus and thus to be driven to humility before Him.  When I consider who He is and what He has done for me, all pride vanishes. I thank You for Your grace which You bestow upon us richly as we walk humbly before You. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.