PR 3:34 He mocks proud mockers
but gives grace to the humble.

The world has a lot of people who are wise in their own eyes and who look down on those they don’t see as “measuring up.” It’s not wrong to be assured of what you know or can do, but despising anyone for not having that knowledge or ability immediately takes you out of the realm of God’s grace. Saying, I can do nothing, isn’t necessarily pleasing to God, because He has given everyone abilities and the responsibility to use them. However, we must remember that all of our abilities are gifts from God, however faithful or unfaithful we have been in our stewardship of them. Properly remembered, that makes it out of the question to mock someone else for not having that ability. Some are so foolish as to think they don’t need God’s grace, wrongly thinking that they have gotten to where they are on their own. Nothing could be further from the truth! God told Paul that His grace is all we need, (2 Corinthians 12:9) so anything that will keep us in the flow of that grace is greatly to be desired. Genuine, honest humility, that recognizes resources but knows they are all from God, is of the highest value indeed.

This is an issue in almost all human interaction. We are so quick to be proud of what we can do, and to be defensive about what we don’t do well. What complicates the picture is that mockery is only damaging when it is received as such, and it is hardly unusual for something to be perceived as mockery when it wasn’t intended that way. As a pastor I deal with this constantly, either between believers or between believers and myself. It’s been many years since I’ve mocked anyone intentionally, but it’s all too common that someone perceived mockery that wasn’t intended. That calls for more wisdom than I have! God is able to sort such things out and bring healing and deliverance, but it’s totally out of my personal range. I’ve got to be humble before God and before others, allowing God to work in and through me, because there’s no other way for such issues to be resolved. I cannot clear someone else’s mind and heart of misconceptions, so I’ve got to pray that God would do the job.

Father, you know the problems that have come to a head in recent days. Thank You that I can trust You. Trying to carry the stress is debilitating, to say the least. Help me let go of it indeed, knowing that You are going to turn this around for the sake of the Body of Christ and for Your glory. Help me exercise the authority You have placed in me in all love, gentleness, and firmness, speaking Your truth to counter the lies that have so clouded and confused minds. Help me hear people out, because my failures in that area have created many problems in the past. By Your grace and mercy, enable us all to lift our eyes to Jesus, and seeing Him, forgive one another as You forgave us in Him, for our healing and Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!