The Power of Pride
Imagine being present when Jesus healed not one but, two blind men and a mute demon possessed man. Can you imagine the power and authority he wielded over infirmity and possession? It would have been awe inspiring. I would want to follow this man everywhere just to see what he would do next. This is why Jesus told the two blind men, “See that no one knows about this.” Jesus knew mobs of people would flock to him just to see a miracle or two, and he wasn’t interested in becoming the most popular teacher of his time. He wanted spiritual followers who took what he taught to heart and allowed it to change them, not simply people who were interested in being entertained. Still, as incredible as the miracles of Jesus were, there were some who refused to accept them.
Verse 34 of our reading today says, “But the Pharisees said, ‘It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.’” They refused to give God the credit for the miracles of Jesus. To do so would have meant they were admitting that God had chosen to use someone other then themselves to teach and heal the people. Not only that, God had chosen someone who, in their eyes, was less than ideal. He was from a poor family. He was not trained as the Pharisees were. He hung out with Gentiles and sinners. They were, in their mind, so much more qualified to be used by God than this son of a carpenter. They were so caught up in their own sense of importance, they treated the movement of God as if it were profane. Matthew Henry once said, “Nothing can convince those who are under the power of pride.” What a deeply sad statement. How many people have missed the beauty of the miracles around them simply because they were too busy looking at themselves?
Jesus warned over and over again to not follow the lead of the Pharisees. They had allowed their faith to be corrupted. Instead of looking to God for guidance, they trusted themselves to guide. We may not think we are in danger of falling for the same sin; however, each of us have the potential to be consumed by pride. Anytime we forget that our abilities come from God, we slip a bit further towards prideful living. Anytime we trust our own strength and forget, or refuse, to turn to God for His, we slip a bit further. When we boast in ourselves instead of giving credit to the Lord, we slip. When we ignore miracles because they came through a less-likely source, we slip. Pride tells us we are capable on our own. It convinces us our calling is superior to someone else’s. Soon we believe we are the only one who can do it correctly; our ways are the best; and surely God would us over some ‘inferior’ person. That was the greatest sin of the Pharisees. It is still a devastating sin in many Christians’ lives. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18) Let us put aside pride lest our fall bring others with us.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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