Love is not proud. 1 Corinthians 13:4
Love and pride cannot coexist, they are mutually exclusive in their motives. Pride is concerned first about getting its own way, while love looks out first for the needs of another. Love is not proud and loves the proud, but pride perceives those who live by love as weak and easily overcome. Love walks in humble dependence on the Lord, while pride walks in arrogant dependence on self. The flesh makes fools out of pride, but the wise rise out of humble love.
Does love incubate in your humble heart? Do you listen for the cries of those starving for love? You are the only one who can be your wife’s husband or your husband’s wife. You are the one Almighty God has appointed for you to place boundaries around temptations, so your spouse feels valued, secure and loved. Your marriage is the Lord’s laboratory to learn how to love well.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. Philippians 2:3
Moreover, make yourself available to be loved. Your pride wants to protect your image and not be vulnerable to receiving love. Any admission of need (even the need to be loved) is a sign of weakness to your pride. However, your humility is quick to confess a heart in need of comforting words and a warm hug. Let your loved ones in on who you are, so they can really know you and love the real you. Give the gift of authenticity to trusting friends and many will love you back.
Lastly, make it your goal for the grace of God to push out pride and replace it with a humble heart. You won’t think any less of yourself, but you will think of yourself less. Humility is like a deep and wide canal of watery grace, it is a channel for ships of love to travel. It bridges your heart with another hungry heart in need of love. Most of all humility connects your heart with your Heavenly Father’s heart. His love for you shuns pride and floods into your humble heart.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2
Prayer: Heavenly Father create in me a humble heart to receive and give love, on Your behalf.
Related Readings: 1 Corinthians 8:1; Philippians 2:1-3; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 3:8
The author of Wisdom Hunters daily devotional is Boyd Bailey. For more information, visit: Wisdomhunters.com
