October 10th Monday Motivator
When reading the book of Daniel, I found a common subject – pride.
A king named Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar both had an issue with pride. Nebuchadnezzar was a successful and powerful king with Belshazzar following in his footsteps. His kingdom is described as a strong tree with a height that reached the heavens, lovely leaves, and fruit for all.
What a compliment, right?
But that beautiful solid tree would be cut down in a blink of an eye.
Why? Pride.
Pride led Nebuchadnezzar through a process of humility. As a result, he lost an honorable position and lost his kingship.
What can we learn from Nebuchadnezzar?
- Guard your heart. Nebuchadnezzar let pride harden his heart.
- Renew your mind. Nebuchadnezzar allowed pride to enter his mind and did not correct his thinking.
- Always have a servant’s attitude, even in leadership – this is probably the most crucial one.
A humble person never loses the heart of a servant. The humble heart serves the people around them, regardless of their position. They do what benefits and exalts the other person or God.
“Humility is not shame. It’s not thinking of yourself as less but thinking of yourself less.”
Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, “those under Him.” They felt as if they were supposed to wash Jesus’s feet, but He made Himself as low as a servant (He was King, the Son of God, royalty.) Then He told the disciples to do the same to others.
A humble person, whether a CEO or a king, thinks of ways they can always serve people. Prideful people are always thinking of how they can help themselves.
God chose people to be kings who started in what the world would consider a “low position,” for example, a Shepard, but he exalted them because of their faithfulness to serve in those positions.
Matthew 23:11-12 says, “But let the greatest among you be your servant. And whoever makes himself high will be made low, and whoever makes himself low will be made high.”
Daniel 4:37 says, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all of His works are right and His ways are just; and those who walk in pride He is able to humble.”
A king does not stop being a servant because of his position but has an even greater opportunity to serve others BECAUSE of that position.
Exalt and bring glory to God rather than yourself by serving others.
