Pride goes before a fall.

Daniel 4, (one of our 40 Day Revolution readings) depicts a king who sought after his own gain despite the will of god, and his unappealing fate. As we explore this story together, I want you to put yourself in it. What would you do if it was you? Have you struggled with similar issues? How did you fare? How does God call us to handle things?

Nebuchadnezzar the powerful king of the Babylonians and the Chaldeans in the 6th century BC was laying on his bed, apparently unable to sleep when he began to have visions. These were not ordinary visions. They were messages from the almighty God. The first thing to note here is that God speaks to his creation. Here was an ungodly king who was privy to hearing from God. The content of these visions were alarming. After much search, the king found an interpreter in the person of Daniel, who essentially spells impending divine judgement upon the king for his prideful ways. The king is given about 12 months to repent, and avoid judgement, but chooses not to do so. Thus he is expelled from his royal seat, and finds himself an outcast, living amongst the wild in the forest.

One thing separated Nebuchadnezzar from success, it was his pride. The saying pride goes before a fall describes humanity to a tee. How many of us would say that we have been in situations where we knew God’s word, but chose to ignore it or procrastinate, and eventually found ourselves in hot water? For the king, his pride stopped him from repenting. After all things were going well. As he overlooked the city from his palatial roof top, the magnificent cityscape surely evidenced his greatness, and thus lured him into self deception.

Daniel in this story serves as God’s oracle to the king, and also to you and I. As God speaks to us constantly through his word, visions, other people, etc.,do we truly pay heed? What message of God are you currently ignoring? Don’t repeat the cyclical pattern of ancient Israel sojourning in the dessert aimlessly for decades. Is the Daniel in your life currently advising you on what to do, and are you taking it seriously.

Nebuchadnezzar eventually repented, and glorified God, but it was at great expense and much personal sacrifice. In today’s society, many are looking for rapid ways to attain fame, and gain public acclaim. While it might be tempting to follow the broad way of the masses, can I challenge you to look a different way. Jesus calls you and I to the narrow road. This road is travelled much less by many, but it leads to certain blessings and respite from the many pitfalls this life throws our way. Christ mantra was self sacrificing humility. He lived a revolutionary life of loving others until the end. God is calling you and I to destroy pride in our lives and defer to our friend, neighbour, spouse, leader and so forth. Challenge yourself to put other first, serve people, defer to them, give till it hurts, and I promise you, according to God’s word, in your humility you will be exalted.