Resist or Assist? by David Jeremiah

Resist or Assist?    Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6    When the new nation of the United States of America elected its first President, no one knew how to address him. Since America was populated by people from European monarchies, some wanted to call the President “Your Highness” or “Your Excellency” or other such fancy titles. But the first President, George Washington, would have none of such exaltation. The title he agreed to use was humble and has stuck: “Mr. President.”

Recommended Reading: Matthew 23:11-12

History is littered with the biographies of leaders of nations who loved to be exalted and who loved to exalt themselves. The king of Babylon was one. Nebuchadnezzar, typical of ancient kings, saw himself as all-powerful, a potentate above even God Himself. But through Daniel, God delivered a humbling message to the king: He would be humbled for seven years until he confessed that God was the Almighty—which he did (Daniel 4). Nebuchadnezzar learned the lesson of humility the hard way—by suffering.  Nebuchadnezzar is an example of what the Bible teaches throughout: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Better to humble ourselves before God and others than for God to humble us Himself.  God assists the humble but resists the proud.  John Blanchard