That Thorn May Be Humility
“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.” 2 Corinthians 12:7, NKJV
Pride in the heart of the believer is not a good thing. In Proverbs 6:17, the first item on a list of seven things that God hates is “A proud look”; pride.
Pride is not a good thing in the heart of the believer. Our verse for today is from the Apostle Paul. He tells us, in this verse, that an adversity was sent to him to keep him from being prideful about a certain revelation he had received from God.
There is great advice for us in this verse; we should avoid pride in our life. Obviously, it can lead to trouble for us. Humility is always the best path to take in life.
Consider the story of Lou Gehrig, the Hall of Fame first baseman with the New York Yankees, whose career ended in 1939 after he was stricken with a rare and always fatal neuromuscular disease. Throughout his ordeal, Gehrig conducted himself with dignity and humility, all of which climaxed on July 4, 1939, before a capacity crowd at Yankee Stadium, with millions more listening on the radio. He concluded his special remarks on “Lou Gehrig Day” with this amazing statement: “Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.” He died approximately two years later.
When we are greatly blessed, the best path to take is always humility rather than pride.
Riley Pippen