We must ever guard our hearts from becoming proud and haughty. We must ever realize that we accomplish what we do by the help of God. We cannot always know just when God’s providential and helping hand is working, but we must never doubt that we accomplish what we do by His help. Read the following scriptures thoughtfully.
Some unbelievers take all the credit for their accomplishments like the king of Assyria that Isaiah wrote about. “Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped. Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? …” (Isaiah 10:12-15) God claimed that He was the one who enabled the King of Assyria to be so successful in his conquests. (Read 10:5-7) The King of Assyria was the instrument God used just like a man would use an ax or saw to cut wood. Therefore, the Assyrian King had nothing to boast about.
Consider Nebuchadnezzar’s pride. “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.” (Daniel 4:30-31) The Great King was driven out and made to eat grass like an ox while his hair grew out like eagles’ feathers. (Daniel 4:32-33)
We must be careful not to forget to give credit to the Lord for all that we have received from His hand. When Israel received the land of Canaan, God warned, “Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God … lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt … And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth …” (Deuteronomy 8:11-18) Pride is a terrible sin, but humility beautifies one’s life. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6)
May everyone realize that all you have whether a job, business, scholarship to a college, new home, good marriage, or healthy children, is not by your own hand alone, but by the helping hand of God.