JAMES DAY 35 - How to Stop Pride

DAY 35
How to Stop Pride
James 4:17

In each of these three examples, pride makes me most important and everyone else a distant second. Pride works its way into our words, our attitude about the future, and how we use our money. Instead of being so self-obsessed, what if we focused on what good we can do for others right now? Maybe we could summarize it like this: You’ll do more good when you matter less. Or what if James 4:17 tells us to say it like this: You’ll do more good when you matter less, and you’ll matter less when you you do more good.

If that’s true, I wonder what that looks like for you and me. Let’s stick to the three things James talks about: words, future, and money.

What good can you do today, or this week, with your words?

How can you prioritize God’s preferences and purpose as you dream about the future?

What steps can you take today, or this week, to make your money do more good for others?

You’ll do more good when you matter less, and you’ll matter less when you you do more good. That’s exactly how Jesus lived his whole life. He not only did “more good,” he did the MOST GOOD because he said, “Father, not my will but your will be done.” He died and rose again to save you from your sin…and death…and separation from God. You couldn’t fix it, so he did it for you, because YOU MATTER to your heavenly Father. You’ll be free to “matter less” when you see how much you matter to your heavenly Father. He loves you.

REFLECT
What is something good you can do this week involving your words, your attitude toward the future, or your money?

PRAY
Today’s prayer is called the Wesleyan Covenant Prayer.

I am no longer my own by yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for you or laid aside for you, exalted for you or brought low for you. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it. And the covenant now made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.