Beating pride

 Psalm 30:1–12 (ESV):  

1  I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up 

and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 

2  O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, 

and you have healed me. 

3  O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; 

you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. 

4  Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, 

and give thanks to his holy name. 

5  For his anger is but for a moment, 

and his favour is for a lifetime. 

Weeping may tarry for the night, 

but joy comes with the morning. 

6  As for me, I said in my prosperity, 

“I shall never be moved.” 

7  By your favour, O Lord, 

you made my mountain stand strong; 

you hid your face; 

I was dismayed. 

8  To you, O Lord, I cry, 

and to the Lord I plead for mercy: 

9  “What profit is there in my death, 

if I go down to the pit? 

Will the dust praise you? 

Will it tell of your faithfulness? 

10  Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! 

O Lord, be my helper!” 

11  You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; 

you have loosed my sackcloth 

and clothed me with gladness, 

12  that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. 

O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! 

This psalm of David’s tells of a time of great restoration. He was very unwell at one point of his life, so much so that people were preparing for his death. He himself thought he was going to die and his enemies were enjoying watching his demise. Yet, God brought David back from the brink of life to be restored, healed and forgiven. 

David acknowledges that the reason God brought him so low was because he had become too self and worldly-reliant. He had thought, “I shall never be moved” - nothing can touch me, I am doing well, life is good and nothing can change that. He had begun to feel proud of his achievements and wealth and felt secure in those things. Each of us can be guilty of the same thing, can't we? Being satisfied in oneself and your accomplishments without recognising that it is all due to God’s favour, is pride. Pride is dangerous as you can become self-reliant, over-confident and selfish. A proud person is not good in community and takes glory and honour away from God. All of us have to overcome pride, no-one is immune to it. Maybe it’s pride in; achievements, monetary gain, wisdom, family, heritage or renown. Whatever you have the propensity to be proud in - WATCH OUT! Proverbs rightly says that pride comes before a fall. David’s story in this psalm is proof of that, and I am sure you can recount stories of others who took their eyes off of God, became confident in other things and have paid a hefty price for it. 

Honour and blessings are great and can come from other places than God. When this happens this can cause a mindset of self-sufficiency and self-worth to build that takes the focus off of God and what He has done. When this happens people fall disgracefully. David found that as he prospered his mindset shifted from one of total dependence and reliance on God to feeling like he could rely upon the power, responsibility, influence and wealth that he had built. He came to trust in himself, his role, and his stuff. So a time of terrible, degrading illness came to remind him who really was in charge. 

 By your favour, O Lord, 

you made my mountain stand strong; 

you hid your face; 

I was dismayed. 

In order for David to realise that God was the source of all he had, and who really is worthy of glory, honour and trust, God, 'hid' His face. God turned away. Why? Because how can you teach, influence or even bless someone that has become proud? It can feel like hitting your head against a brick wall. Sometimes the best help you can give is give them space so that they realise absence feels like. That's what God did with David, and what He may do to you if you get caught in the same spiral. God wants to give you favour, but if you deny Him and start to believe in your own power, authority and gifting how can He? You need to remember who is the one who has built these things into your life and who should be honoured and thanked for them. 

Thankfully, you can always repent and turn back to God when you realise that you've become trapped in self-sufficiency and self-worth, where pride has taken control. David repented and was miraculously restored both physically and spiritually as, ‘his anger is but for a moment, and his favour is for a lifetime.’ When you acknowledge that you have fallen into the sin of pride, and want to be free of it, you can be forgiven and restored. God only remains angry for a little while, but His favour and blessing can last the rest of your life! You just need to turn back to Him, acknowledge where you've gone wrong and accept His forgiveness. It doesn't even matter if you keep getting the same thing wrong, and it seems to take you a while to learn often making the same mistakes. God does not remain angry with a repentant heart. His desire is to have a relationship with you, to be your father and pour out his lavish love and gifts upon you so that you can enjoy them and use them to glorify Him. So at your next success, honour, encouragement, promotion and blessing remember to be grateful to God. Remember who has helped you get there and give honour to God for it. This will save you from pride and ensure that you're living in His favour for the rest of your lifetime!

Pride or accountability?

As we continue our journey through the book of Obadiah, we can see how the Edomites have been fairly warned by God about the fact that their downfall is coming. They are going to suffer because of their pride and treatment of their kin, the Israelites. They can expect to be utterly destroyed, not just lose their possessions and livelihoods, but also their lives. They shall be completely wiped out as they have lived with pleasure and self-gratification rather than acknowledging God and their responsibilities to others. Doesn't this sound like a familiar story in our day and age? People out to get what they want instead of considering what their life is really about and disregarding others in the process? Is not this what society promotes even? A self-sufficient, independent me-first mentality? 

If you can relate to this, then take some time to consider what the outcome could be for you and those around you. It is not too late to make things right. The issue with the Edomites was that they were quite satisfied with their lot in life, and they did not wish to change. God gives us all a chance to change - the question is, are you going to take it?

The way Obadiah expresses the following verses, with the repeated, 'do not' it seems to be as if he is imploring the Edomites to change. It is not too late to recognise the errors of their ways, to change their attitude towards Judah. It is not too late to repent. Yet, they do not wish to listen. The day of the Lord is near, and the day of the punishment is coming, but the Edomites do not wish to see or hear of it;

10 Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 11 On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. 12 But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress. 13 Do not enter the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; do not gloat over his disaster in the day of his calamity; do not loot his wealth in the day of his calamity. 14 Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress. 15 For the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations. 

Obadiah 10–15.

Do not…do not…do not… what do you think when you read this list of don’ts? I read it and think it is a little bit late! The Edomites have already done these things. They have gloated and rejoiced over Judah’s downfall, they have boasted and been a part of their destruction, they watched and took advantage of their fellow Israelites downfall, they did take their stuff and lead others to capture them. So, isn’t it a bit late?

Yet, is never too late to try to make amends. To apologise and seek forgiveness. I think the real problem with Edom was not the fact that they had done things wrong and treated people badly, but that they were unwilling to admit it, change and seek forgiveness. Instead they had become full of pride, gloating and aloofness. Not only had they assisted the downfall of their brothers, but they were pleased about it.

Can it not be the same with us? 

Consider; a parent, friend, mentor, boss giving you some advice and guidance - calling you to account for something you have done and letting you know so that you can sort it out - but you ignore them and carry on. Pride takes over and you probably feel annoyed and aggrieved. Yet they were only trying to help you. Help you admit and correct your mistakes so that you can live free of guilt, shame and the consequences that will surely follow your wrongdoing. I am sure you have had an experience like that, we all have. Yet, how do you respond now in those circumstances? It is easy enough to get offended and react in annoyance, but do you lay aside that pride and sorted things out? or do you live with the hard consequences of pride? 

Conversely, have you ever had to be the one calling someone else to account? Knowing that this conversation is difficult and unwanted by both parties, but necessary because you care and want to guide the person to a better outcome, so that they can rectify mistakes and relationships. It is really difficult and frustrating when those people do not listen isn’t it?! When they are so full of pride, denial and arrogance that they do not want to admit any wrongdoing or rectify anything. Then you have to make it clear, if you don’t, then the consequences will hurt. 

I know you probably do not want to think of yourself in either of these situations, they are always uncomfortable. Yet, we are all human, and therefore you will make errors and have to sort them out, and you will be required to help others sort out theirs too. There are people that care about your life that will seek to hold you to account, and there are people that you care about that you will do the same for. God also does so. He cares about you and I infinitely more than anyone else could. He knows your ways, and He wishes the best for you, and sometimes what you get yourself into is not the best, just like for Edom. When that happens are you going to humble yourself and listen? Push aside pride, own up and sort out the mistakes you have made? God can use other people like Obadiah to speak truth to you and open your eyes, how are you going to respond when He does? 

The deceptiveness of pride

The book of Obadiah is a short one in the Old Testament. The author, Obadiah, has written down what God has shown him about the judgement for the country of Edom. Here are the first few verses that we shall consider today;

*1*The vision of Obadiah. 

Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: 

We have heard a report from the Lord, 

and a messenger has been sent among the nations: 

“Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!” 

*2* Behold, I will make you small among the nations; 

you shall be utterly despised. 

*3* The pride of your heart has deceived you, 

you who live in the clefts of the rock, 

in your lofty dwelling, 

who say in your heart, 

“Who will bring me down to the ground?” 

*4* Though you soar aloft like the eagle, 

though your nest is set among the stars, 

from there I will bring you down, 

declares the Lord. 

Obadiah 1–4.

A pretty harsh judgement you would think, but that is because of the harsh way the Edomites have treated others. The reason that Edom is going to be overcome is because they assisted the Babylonians in capturing the Israelites that fled when Jerusalem was destroyed. This is serious to God because the Edomites are actually relatives of those Israelites! Edom consisted of the descendants of Esau, who was one of the sons of Isaac, and the brother to Jacob. Jacob is the one from whom all of the tribes of Israel descended. Therefore, the Edomites are related to the Israelites and their tribes, so they had, in essence, turned against their own family to support the unholy Babylonian nation. Instead of caring for and assisting their fleeing family, they turned against them. So, God pronounces what He intends to do to Edom through the prophet Obadiah. 

The Edomites would have been aware of their heritage and who the Israelites were, they could not feign ignorance about knowing who their ancestors were. Yet this does highlight the fact that although people can be brought up in the same family, with the same values and expectations, they still get to choose their own way in life just like their forefathers; Jacob and Esau. Jacob chose to honour God and the nation that came through him did consider God in some way throughout their history. They have times of following and disobeying, but God's voice doesn't ever seem too far away. Whereas Esau's descendants, the Edomites, seem to have rejected God, living their lives for what they can get out of it with no consideration for God. We see that through this book of Obadiah. The Edomites believe they are thriving, they are successful and capable. Yet, despite appearances, God is showing that there are more important things to life than the outward visible achievements. God proves through this prophecy that he is concerned about the hearts of His people. Even though the Edomites may not consider themselves His people, He does. He still cares about them and wishes to warn them about their impending doom because of their disregard for Him and their kin.

God, through Obadiah reveals that the cause of the Edomites issues is not hatred, greed, jealousy or a violent temper, but pride (v3). The Edomites were deeply satisfied within themselves. They took great pleasure in who they were and what they could do. This is the source of their problems; a confidence in oneself, and a reliance on one’s possessions and capabilities. They were ok with that, but God says, 'The pride of your heart has deceived you'. 

You may have heard of the proverb, ‘pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall’ (`Proverbs 16:18). Pride - the deep pleasure and satisfaction of your own achievements or possessions is destructive. It is a problem because it is me-focussed. It gives no honour, glory or concern to anyone else, just oneself. The proud can be spotted as those who consider themselves better than others because of what they have got and achieved, they look to themselves for the solutions to life’s problems and think that they are responsible for their own success. The Edomites were such people. They knew what they were good at, and revelled in it. Even where they lived demonstrated something of how apart and above others they felt - they lived up high in the rocks - what a secure, solid powerful environment to oversee the other land and nations from, they would literally have to look down on everyone else from their dwelling place. They felt safe and secure, just like an eagle soaring around; confident, and unconcerned, unaware of any danger. Yet, in verse 4 God promises, ‘from there I will bring you down’. It seems impossible. From the top of a solid mountain plateau, from the soaring heights of the eagle, from there God will bring the nation of Edom down. It does not seem like it can happen, certainly not to the Edomites from their privileged position. Yet, no matter how secure you can feel in life, if you are consumed with pride and fail to acknowledge God’s favour, then you may be heading for a downfall just as these people were.

No matter how high you may feel in life, no matter the height of your achievements or capabilities, God can bring you down. So, what can you do to avoid it? Ensure that you are not 'deceived' like the Edomites were - that you are not blinded by success or achievement or that getting something or somewhere in life is your ultimate goal in life. Make sure that you are caring for others, that you are not destroying or degrading others in your attempt to succeed. Most importantly, consider God. What does God want you to achieve in life? What and who has He given you to take care of? Are you showing your gratitude and acceptance of God's favour, generosity and love to those around you? Do people hear you boast, not of yourself, but of what God has done for you?

Be aware of your attitude and behaviour towards God, yourself and others. God sees the deceptive nature of pride, and it is so easy to fall into the trap of self-sufficiency and feeling good about success and hardwork, after all, isn't that what the rest of the world emulates? God would like to rescue you from pride - will you let Him? Or are you just going to wait for the fall?

God is right and just

 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. 

Daniel 4:37.

‘His works are right’ - we may not understand the workings of God’s plans, they way situations unfold or resolve, but that doesn’t mean that God has got it wrong. What it does mean is that we have not seen things the way God does. 

It is good for us to remember that we do not see the whole creation view that God does, that we do not have His mind, or the ability to appreciate the time frame He is working with. We only see, and are only really concerned with, the little part we have to play. We do not like it when things do not go how we expect or how want them to go, what we think is the best outcome. It is then that we can question God, question whether He is good, or if He even exists. That is because we lose sight of who He is and who we are. We become overwhelmed with circumstances and begin to mistakenly believe that we, in fact, know best, and are in control. We forget that He is the Most High, He is the King of heaven, He is right. 

It does us good to remind ourselves that we are not whom the world revolves around. We are not the most important, nor the know-it-alls that we think we are. We are created creatures of grace. God is looking, He is in control and ‘His works are right’ even when it seems to us the worst. 

‘His ways are just’ - This means that God is fair to all, and is morally right. Whatever God is doing, it is just. It may not seem so to us at the time, but it will come to pass that justice will be done. Not according to our standards, but according to His.  

There are many historical events that may seem unjust, and horrific, yet this statement tells us that God’s ways are just - so who has had influence at those times? Sometimes we can attribute some of the tragic circumstances to God, forgetting that there is an enemy that is working and moving around us just as God is. Yet, even at those times, you can see and hear stories of hope, of goodness, of the miraculous, of righteousness and justice. One thing to remember is that our time frame and expectations for justice are wildly different to God’s. We see and know in part (1 Corinthians 13), so we cannot rightly judge as we do not see the innermost being, nor the eternal consequences of each action or decision. God can. One day every person will give an account of himself before God - do you trust God to be just then? If you believe in Him and accept Jesus as your saviour, then justice has already been served over your own life. God is so concerned with being just that all our wrongs deserve death as they separate us from our holy God. So Jesus died, cruelly, in agony. It may not seems just to you, right or fait, but don’t you rely on it for your salvation?

‘Those who walk in pride he is able to humble’ - I think that there is a fine line between confidence and pride. Particularly in the society where we are trained from our young years that we can do anything. This builds confidence, but can also build pride, so it is important that we can distinguish between them, as clearly, pride is something to avoid if you do not want to be humiliated. 

Confidence is an assurance we have in our capability. Pride is also a confidence in yourself, and having a deep satisfaction in who you are that leads to feeling dignified, arrogant and superior. That is why it is dangerous. Pride results in thoughts of being better than others. Confidence accepts abilities, doesn’t brag about them and is not afraid to give credit where it is due. The confident will admit that things took time, are gifts from God, are taught well by others, that they have limits. Pride displays that everything they can do is because of them, because of how great they are and all that they have done. 

Be warned -  ‘those who walk in pride he is able to humble’. 

That is the worst punishment for someone who is proud, consider Nebuchadnezzar. He once was full of pride, boastful of ‘great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power’. A confident, but pride-filled man until everything was stripped from him; power, majesty, his role, his sanity. Nebuchadnezzar had the attitude that he had all he did because of his character and works; his kingdom, his riches, his authority. Then he was humbled. Once he acknowledged that he can just as easily have; riches or poverty, weakness or strength, reason or insanity and that none of it was according to his will, effort or influence, but all according to the will of God, his reason returned and he honoured God. 

Are you in a position where, like Nebuchadnezzar, you are waiting to be humbled? If so, ask God and trust Him to help you out now.

Nebuchadnezzar learnt about God's righteousness, justice and power through different experiences, but predominantly through the last recorded event. It was a journey that took many years, but he eventually had this revelation that there is a Most Hight God with these qualities. Which of these do you need to hold onto today?

Forgiveness and Restoration

As we have been reading through Daniel, we have seen how Nebuchadnezzar (the king of Babylon) has; conquered nations, acted in anger, been disturbed by dreams and had a period of mental illness. A lot has happened. A lot that he has been in control of, even the orchestrator of, and for the latter part, a significant period where he was not in control, not even of himself. 

That period of time has been reviewed in Chapter 4, and the consequences of that time are recorded at the end of the passage:

34*At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honoured him who lives forever, 

    for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, 

            and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 

    35*all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, 

            and he does according to his will among the host of heaven 

            and among the inhabitants of the earth; 

    and none can stay his hand 

            or say to him, “What have you done?” 

*36*At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendour returned to me. My counsellors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. *37*Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. 

Daniel 4:34–37.

These verses talk about the restoration of both Nebuchadnezzar, and the kingdom. Both have returned to their previous state with him as king, but clearly he is fundamentally changed. He now knows there's a king greater than himself, he now sees that he was walking in pride and self-sufficiency, and now realises that life isn't all about him.

Yet, as we read, we see that the scripture seems to have skipped over the, ‘seven periods of time’ that Nebuchadnezzar was without ‘reason’. It is mentioned, but there is no detail about what occurred for the nation during that period - it must have been quite a scary and unsettling time for a secure, conquering nation such as Babylon. Prior to this they were triumphant, capable and strong with a leader whom they held in high esteem. Then one day, this king became incapable of leading the nation, even leading himself, he started to act in strange ways, living with the beasts and without reason. That must have really rocked the stability of the leaders, the nation - the shock of seeing their king incapacitated for an undeterminable period of time. 

Then, it seems as suddenly as he lost his reason, Nebuchadnezzar is found to be in his right mind. His ‘reason returned’, so his leaders invite him back into his kingly role. This surprises me. It would have been known what had happened with Nebuchadnezzar, surely. The leaders and counsellors would certainly have been aware of the insanity of the king - fallen from glory, humbled to the level of the ‘beasts'. Yet, once they see he is returned to his right mind, they seek him to become leader again, they want him elevated again to his kingly role. What a demonstration of forgiveness and restoration! 

Not something the Babylonians are famous for, but the people give Nebuchadnezzar another chance. The lords and counsellors clearly still trusted in him and wanted him to lead even though they had experienced his downfall. 

What a lovely picture of hope that can give us - When we mess up, when we make mistakes, even when ignore what we know we should do, and turn our backs to God - there is hope of restoration. There is hope of forgiveness and purpose, even of regaining what we have lost through our own fault, our own ignorance, our own disobedience. If we, like Nebuchadnezzar, lift our eyes to heaven, bless, praise and honour the Most High, then we too can experience that hope, that forgiveness and restoration. 

God loves to give us a second chance, even a third or fourth …etc... maybe you need to hear that today, and give yourself another chance to get it right. Or, maybe there’s someone else or some others you need to give another chance. Like the people did for Nebuchadnezzar - they even sought to give him another opportunity. It must have been difficult when they had been hurt and let down, but they demonstrated forgiveness and restored him to his original status. 

It is an example of how God forgives and restores us too. When we lift our eyes to see Jesus on that cross, dying for all that we have ever done to turn our backs on God, we can know complete forgiveness, restoration and hope. 

If you do well, will you not be accepted?

 Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. *3*In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, *4*and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, *5*but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. *6*The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? *7*If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 

Genesis 4:2-7

What was Cain’s problem?

Some may know the section of scripture that comes next, but do you notice the indicators in these verses that something is wrong? Clearly, Cain wants to be the best, and be recognised as not just being accepted, but better than his brother. When he is not, he becomes jealous. This leads to disappointment and anger, but not regret or remorse. It seems that Cain’s offering was more about himself than about honouring God. He did it so God would be happy and commend him, instead God challenged and corrected him, yet Cain would not heed the advice. God even warned him that his mindset could lead to sin - so far he had not sinned in this situation, but God told him that if he didn’t sort out his own heart and response then it would lead somewhere he shouldn’t seek to go. The encouragement for Cain was to listen to instruction and learn to manage himself, to learn self-control. 

This is the kind of worship God seeks.

Are you someone that gets jealous of others? That looks around to see if you are better in your own eyes than yours around you? Have you  ever been corrected but been more offended than consider if it’s true or not? 

If so, what do you think God would be saying to you right now?

You could even be doing things for God, worshipping, sacrificing, living a ‘christian’ life, but if you’re doing it all to gain recognition from God or man, then you are in danger just like Cain was. Your heart will become prideful, if it isn’t already, and you need to watch out for the sin that is crouching ready to take you out. 

Listen to God’s advice; ‘If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.’

Watch out for yourself, if you catch yourself comparing yourself to others or being jealous of the gifts of others or their commendation, then take a step back and refocus. It’s an opportunity to consider - are you doing well? Is God getting your best? 

Cain’s gift could not match Abel’s gift in one way, because they had different workloads and responsibility, yet Cain could still of brought the best of what he had rather than be in competition with those around him. Cain could have accepted the rebuke and restored the relationship between himself and his brother and between him and God, yet he allowed his disappointment in himself to turn into self-pity and hatred. 

Be warned! Be aware of your own heart and mind before God and others. The temptation will be there, but are you willing to admit it and ask forgiveness? Are you willing to restore your relationships and heal your heart? Will you watch out over your own heart and reactions? 

If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door.

What is the best gift?

 Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. *3*In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, *4*and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, *5*but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. *6*The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? *7*If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 

Genesis 4:2-7

What was Cain’s sin?

Some may know the section of scripture that comes next, but do you notice the indicators in these verses that something is wrong? Clearly, Cain wants to be the best, and be recognised as not just being accepted, but better than his brother. When he is not, he becomes jealous. This leads to disappointment and anger, but not regret or remorse. It seems that Cain’s offering was more about himself than about honouring God. He did it so God would be happy and commend him, instead God challenged and corrected him, yet Cain would not heed the advice. God even warned him that his mindset could lead to sin. God told him that if he didn’t sort out his own heart and response then it would lead somewhere he shouldn’t seek to go. The encouragement for Cain was to listen to instruction and learn to manage himself, to learn self-control. 

This is the kind of sacrifice God seeks.

Are you someone that gets jealous of others? That looks around to see if you are better in your own eyes than those around you? If so, what do you think God would be saying to you right now? You could even be doing things for God, diligently working for the church, but if you’re doing it to gain recognition from God or man, then your heart will become prideful if it isn’t already, and you need to watch out for the sin that is crunching ready to take you out, just like it was waiting for Cain.

Listen to God’s advice, 'If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 

Watch out! If you catch yourself comparing yourself to others or being jealous of the gifts of others or their commendation, then you need to change your focus - ask yourself, what are you doing well? Is there something God is trying to tech you right now? Are you listening and doing what you know is right? 

The issue with the gifts given to God in this story is not about us all being the same and doing the same; Cain’s gift could not match Abel’s gift because they had different workloads and responsibility, yet Cain could still of brought the best of what he had. That is what God wants - the best you have, rather than being in competition with those around you. 

Cain could of accepted the rebuke and restored the relationship between himself and his brother and between him and God, yet he allowed his disappointment in himself to turn into self-pity and hatred. 

Be warned, and be aware of your own heart and mind before God and others. The temptations are there, there's an enemy waiting to prey on your dissatisfied mind, but are you willing to admit it and ask forgiveness? Are you willing to give the best sacrifice that is your own pride and desires? 

You have a choice, 'If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 

Dust v Image of God

In Genesis Chapters 1 and 2, we find the following descriptions of mankind:

‘the image of God’

‘of dust from the ground’

These are two opposing concepts, one of great value, worth, significance and power -  being an image bearer of the Lord God. The other of lowliness, dirt and insignificance - made out of mud. 

Why were human beings created with such a conflict inherent in their being? 

I think that as humans we can err on two accounts, some of us readily associate with the saying, ‘I am but a worm’, indicating that we consider ourselves dirt - we can identify ourselves as of little worth and value and therefore understand the fact that we are in fact just dirt that walks around. To you, God would remind you you also bear His image. He formed you, He put HIs breath in you, AND He made you like Himself, so you have the opportunity to demonstrate who God is just by being yourself in this world. 

Others err in the fact that they are overly confident in the fact that they are like mini-gods roaming around. Full of the confidence that they are image-bearers of God, which can lead to pride, over confidence and self-importance, even then thinking that the world is about them and how it effects them. To these, God would say, you are, 'of dust from the ground'  Have you forgotten who formed you and what from? Do you even know how many breaths you have left or how many hairs on your own head? but God gives you every one? 

Remember what you are and where you came from.

You are who you are because of Almighty God’s creative power, not anything to do with your own perception of yourself, or others’ opinions or actions. God doesn’t  want you to get prideful or downhearted about who you are, if you struggle with one or the other of these mindsets, then consider the other perspective and honour God for it.

This inherent conflict is striving to strike a balance, and should remind us again who God is. This internal mindset should ultimately lead us to worship God - How else can we respond when we realise that we are endowed with kingly demeanour, yet we are created from the base of the earth? 

Only God can bring breath and life to dirt! Only God can bring value and strength from the muddy mess that we can find ourselves in. Only God knows and can reveal our purpose. 

Enjoy and appreciate the tension that you are the image of God, yet you are also dirt. It will give you the right balance of acknowledgement of your place and stature in this Earthly kingdom, and in the kingdom to come.