Confidence Gone Awry

August 5

(Luke 18:9 NIV) “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:”

(Luke 18:14 NIV) “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

(Romans 12:3 NIV) “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”

(1 Peter 5:5-6 NIV) ““Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." {6} Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.””

Confidence is complex. Those living without it often suffer from feeling inferior -- those living with it run the risk of becoming prideful. Lack of confidence can cause us to look down on ourselves in self-loathing -- overconfidence can cause us to look down on others in self- importance. Confidence in Christ’s righteousness can quickly mutate into cockiness about our own righteousness. Confidence will cause us to exalt the Lord -- cockiness causes us to exalt ourselves. Confidence in Christ is healing and empowering. Confidence in our own righteousness is toxic and crippling. “Living in Christ” means learning to live above sin -- not longing to live above others. We cannot see heaven unless we learn to look up -- but it is impossible to look up to God while we are looking down on others. Learn to think rightly about God. Learn to think rightly about yourself. -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day