NearnessNäide

Pride has a way of slipping in unnoticed. It hides behind confidence, disguises itself as independence, and often feels like strength. But Scripture draws a clear line: pride doesn’t lift us up—it sets us up for a fall. It distorts our vision and pulls us away from the very wisdom we need.

In a fierce storm, it's often not the tallest or strongest trees that survive, but the ones that bend. A towering oak with rigid limbs can snap under pressure, while a smaller, more flexible tree weathers the storm by yielding, not resisting.

Pride makes us rigid. It resists correction, bristles at weakness, and tries to stand tall on its own. But eventually, the winds of life expose our limits and the fall can be sudden and severe. “When pride comes, then comes disgrace…” Proverbs 11:2 (ESV).

Humility, on the other hand, doesn’t fight the wind. It bows. It listens. It yields. And in doing so, it stands secure, not in its own strength, but in something deeper. Humility opens the door to true wisdom—insight that flows from walking rightly with God. The humble are teachable, grounded, and free. They don’t need to pretend or protect an image. They live in the quiet security that comes from knowing who they are, and whose they are.

This kind of humility doesn’t come naturally. It must be formed in us by the One who lived it perfectly.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:1 (ESV): “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” Jesus, who had every right to be exalted, made Himself nothing. He didn’t cling to status, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant and humbling Himself to the point of death on a cross. And what did God do? “Therefore God highly exalted Him…” Philippians 2:9 (ESV)

In God’s kingdom, the way up is always down. And because of Jesus, we don’t pursue humility to gain approval. We walk in humility because we’ve already received it.

Today, ponder this: Where is pride keeping you from wisdom, correction, or deeper community? How might embracing the humility of Christ lead you to greater freedom and integrity today?