Often times in life we get caught up in the things we are doing. We of course want everything to be perfect, but forget whom we are doing it for at times. No one would have a job if it were not for one thing-people. People can come in all shapes and sizes, with all kinds of personalities. Sometimes when we get so caught up in our work, we loose sight of this detail. When we are busy planning things, we can also get caught up in “I” ownership. Recently our church hosted a mother’s day breakfast. I decorated the tables; two ladies helped with the food, a few helped fold flowers, and one lady made a lovely centerpiece. The point is that it would be easy to think in my mind “I” did this, or “I” pulled this all together. When the real truth is that I would have had a terrible breakfast, especially without the ladies who prepared the food. It is a dangerous mentality when you start using the word “I” all the time, believing it is only you that can get things done. When our mind turns to this type of thinking God would call it Pride. Pride can come in all kinds of areas in our life, and we are all guilty of it at some point. God despises pride. The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18
Nebuchadnezzar was a very powerful king. His kingdom was described as "Babylon, too, lies in a plain; and the circuit of its wall is three hundred and eighty-five stadia. The thickness of its wall is thirty-two feet; the height thereof between the towers is fifty cubits;9 that of the towers is sixty cubits (90 ft); and the passage on top of the wall is such that four-horse chariots can easily pass one another; and it is on this account that this and the hanging garden are called one of the Seven Wonders of the World. " Strabo Geography Book XVI, Chapter 1. Nebuchadnezzar was very much into how things looked, and how people perceived his kingdom. He was in-fact a very prideful King.
Daniel 3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high (90 ft) and six cubits wide,[a] and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
Now in our minds we are probably thinking we are not anything like Nebuchadnezzar because we would never want a statue built of us. We may never build a golden image, but we do exalt ourselves above others. In James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. Basically James says it is the pride of trying to satisfy our selves that causes strife.
Another example of his pride is in verses 16-20 Nebuchadnezzar is enraged because everyone is not bowing down to his image. Once again in these verses we see how Nebuchadnezzar was prideful because his expectations were not being met. His anger rose to a new level when he said, “heat the furnace seven times hotter”. He was so enraged because these men had not obeyed his demands, but instead followed what God called them to do.
The final straw is in Daniel 4:29 is “Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
God had enough of his arrogant pride, and took him down to the lowest point. In a few minutes he went from the most powerful man, to eating grass like the animals. I fully believe that God will not allow us to operate in the “I” mode for long periods, without serious consequences. These consequences may only affect us, but more than likely will have an impact on those around us. Nebuchadnezzar had been the King for so long he came to believe it was he that was in charge, when in reality God was orchestrating everything for his glory, not Nebuchadnezzar.
Recently one of my closest mentors told me to remember I would only answer for my actions. I could not change or control what anyone else said or believed. “I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.” Mathew 12:36. He also said never forget to serve with a spirit of community, not what you want, but what God wants. As I search my own life for anything that may hinder me in my service for God, the verse in Colossians 3 came to mind “17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus (my emphasis in bold), giving thanks to God the Father through him. I pray the Lord will always help me serve with a spirit of community and never with an “I” mentality. I pray that God will help me always lean on him for guidance, when I am at a lost for understanding the situation. God states clearly in his word that Pride leads to division, and division leads to defeat. Divide and conquer strategy--in this strategy, one power breaks another power into smaller, more manageable pieces, and then takes control of those pieces one by one. Isn’t this a perfect reminder of how Satan would like nothing more than to divide and conquer God’s people? I pray that we will do everything in our power to stay united for one God and one Kingdom, even if it means swallowing a little pride.
Nebuchadnezzar was a very powerful king. His kingdom was described as "Babylon, too, lies in a plain; and the circuit of its wall is three hundred and eighty-five stadia. The thickness of its wall is thirty-two feet; the height thereof between the towers is fifty cubits;9 that of the towers is sixty cubits (90 ft); and the passage on top of the wall is such that four-horse chariots can easily pass one another; and it is on this account that this and the hanging garden are called one of the Seven Wonders of the World. " Strabo Geography Book XVI, Chapter 1. Nebuchadnezzar was very much into how things looked, and how people perceived his kingdom. He was in-fact a very prideful King.
Daniel 3:1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high (90 ft) and six cubits wide,[a] and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 4 Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.
Now in our minds we are probably thinking we are not anything like Nebuchadnezzar because we would never want a statue built of us. We may never build a golden image, but we do exalt ourselves above others. In James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. Basically James says it is the pride of trying to satisfy our selves that causes strife.
Another example of his pride is in verses 16-20 Nebuchadnezzar is enraged because everyone is not bowing down to his image. Once again in these verses we see how Nebuchadnezzar was prideful because his expectations were not being met. His anger rose to a new level when he said, “heat the furnace seven times hotter”. He was so enraged because these men had not obeyed his demands, but instead followed what God called them to do.
The final straw is in Daniel 4:29 is “Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. 32 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
God had enough of his arrogant pride, and took him down to the lowest point. In a few minutes he went from the most powerful man, to eating grass like the animals. I fully believe that God will not allow us to operate in the “I” mode for long periods, without serious consequences. These consequences may only affect us, but more than likely will have an impact on those around us. Nebuchadnezzar had been the King for so long he came to believe it was he that was in charge, when in reality God was orchestrating everything for his glory, not Nebuchadnezzar.
Recently one of my closest mentors told me to remember I would only answer for my actions. I could not change or control what anyone else said or believed. “I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak.” Mathew 12:36. He also said never forget to serve with a spirit of community, not what you want, but what God wants. As I search my own life for anything that may hinder me in my service for God, the verse in Colossians 3 came to mind “17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus (my emphasis in bold), giving thanks to God the Father through him. I pray the Lord will always help me serve with a spirit of community and never with an “I” mentality. I pray that God will help me always lean on him for guidance, when I am at a lost for understanding the situation. God states clearly in his word that Pride leads to division, and division leads to defeat. Divide and conquer strategy--in this strategy, one power breaks another power into smaller, more manageable pieces, and then takes control of those pieces one by one. Isn’t this a perfect reminder of how Satan would like nothing more than to divide and conquer God’s people? I pray that we will do everything in our power to stay united for one God and one Kingdom, even if it means swallowing a little pride.
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