Don’t try to Make Yourself Look Better Than Others

Daily Devotional

Psalms 74: 5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

It is ironic that any attempt to make yourself look better than others results in you looking worse in their eyes. Rather than doing that, bring yourself down to their level, that is what true humility is.  Nobody likes being among anyone who acts as if he/she is better.

Humility is the seed for promotion. How do we know that? Luke 18:14 says he that exalteth himself shall be abased, but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Based on the scripture your exaltation or promotion is directly tied to your humility. It was so for Joseph who was subjected to being a slave and a prisoner for the purpose of learning humility before he could assume the office of second in command in Egypt. Your promotion is tied to your humility. After spending 40 years in Pharaoh’s palace learning pride, Moses had to spend 40 years in the wilderness to be retrained in humility before he was promoted to lead Israel.

Psalms 74:5 states one of the characteristics of the humble. It says lift not up your horn on high. That means do not go out of your way to make yourself look better than those around you. The way in which you prevent that from happening was revealed in the second part of the verse when it says “speak not with a stiff neck”. It is saying give no room for self-exaltation. Rather than use your speech to brag about you and your accomplishments, use it as seed to make others feel good about themselves. Jesus has set the example; he had more than enough to boast about but never did so once, nor was he heard asking anyone “do you know who you are talking to?”

Based on Luke 18:14 self exaltation makes you “abased”, by causing you to look less in the eyes of God and those around you.  What then is the benefit? It seems contradictory but it is true humility that lifts you up.  

Life Application: Resist the urge to make yourself look better than others; it will make you look worse.

Prayer: Lord, you have set the perfect example of humility even though you are God. Help me to grow in humility as I go throughout this journey called life. Help me to lift others instead of tearing them down. In Jesus name, amen.