Our Daily Bread July 21, 2013 — by David C. McCasland Arrogance And Pride Read: Proverbs 8:12-21 "Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate." —Proverbs 8:13 In The Screwtape Letters written by C.S. Lewis, a senior devil urges his young protégé to divert a Christian’s thoughts away from God and focus instead on the faults of the people around him at church. During a Sunday service, I found myself distracted and somewhat annoyed by a person near me who sang loudly off key and was out of sync during the unison readings. But when we bowed our heads for a time of silent prayer, it struck me that the Lord must surely be more pleased with that other person’s heart than with the judgmental feelings He saw in mine. A few days later I happened to read Proverbs 8 and was struck by verse 13: “Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” Throughout this chapter, wisdom calls to us to gain an understanding heart (v.5) and to find life and obtain favor from the Lord (v.35). The alternative is to go through life with a superior attitude while dying inside in the process (v.36). Pride is a sword that wounds the person who uses it along with those against whom it is used. Arrogance robs us of all God longs to give us, but “by humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life” (22:4). Oh, just a bit of Thy meekness, my Savior, To be the least when of self I would boast; Finding my glory and strength in Thy favor, Know in my weakness Thy grace can do most. —Bosch Pride brings shame. Humility brings wisdom. ***************************** 《靈命日糧》 2013年 07月 21日 - David C. McCasland 狂妄與驕傲 讀經: 箴言8章12-21節 "那驕傲、狂妄並惡道，以及乖謬的口，都為我所恨惡。" —箴言8章13節 在魯益師（C.S.Lewis）所著的小說《地獄來鴻》中，作者描繪了一個老魔頭，傳授其年輕小鬼如何令基督徒轉移焦點，把目光從上帝的身上，轉向教會會友的缺點上。 某天主日崇拜時，我發現自己沒辦法專心敬拜，因為一個坐在附近的會友把歌唱得荒腔走板，而且在眾人齊聲讀經時他也跟不上進度，這令我感到倍受干擾。但是，當我們低頭默禱時，我突然醒覺，上帝肯定更悅納那人專注敬拜的心，甚於我心中對他的論斷。 幾天之後，我剛好讀到箴言8章，而其中的第13節特別讓我有感觸，這裡說：「那驕傲、狂妄並惡道，以及乖謬的口，都為我所恨惡。」在箴言第8章中，智慧呼籲我們，要明白事理得智慧的心（5節），以便尋得生命及得到從耶和華而來的恩惠（35節）。反之，若是選擇以自高的態度看待生命，則會殘害自己， 走向滅亡（36節）。 驕傲是一把傷人的劍，它不僅會傷及抵禦劍峰之人，亦會傷及御劍之人。狂妄則會奪去上帝所渴望賜與我們的一切事物，相反的「敬畏耶和華心存謙卑，就得富有、尊榮、生命為賞賜」（箴言22章4節）。 請賜我一點，天父的溫柔； 在我自誇時，知道愧和羞； 要在祢裡面，尋得真力量， 透過我軟弱，恩典能成就。Bosch 驕傲招致羞愧；謙虛帶來智慧。 English: odb.org/2013/07/21/arrogance-and-pride/ Chinese: traditional-odb.org/2013/07/21/狂妄與-驕傲/
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 06:20:29 +0000