A Race to the Bottom
Matthew 23:5-7 The only reason they do what they do is for other people to see them. They make the little Scripture boxes they wear bigger and bigger. And they make the tassels on their prayer clothes long enough for people to notice them. These men love to have the places of honour at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues. They love for people to show respect to them in the marketplaces and to call them ‘Teacher.’
The basic paradigm of success these days seems to be that you climb and climb and climb up that ladder until you reach the top. Sure, you have to step on people on the way up, but hey … that’s just the price of doing business.
Born in 1769, Napoleon Bonaparte was a tactical genius and a great leader. He was so successful, that by 1804 he’d declared himself Emperor of France, setting out to expand his empire across Europe. But as his power grew, so did his pride and more importantly his sense of invincibility, leading him into some huge strategic blunders.
Without going into all his ups and downs, finally after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, he was exiled to the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic where basically, because of his hubris, he died a lonely failure in 1821. So much for climbing the ladder of success.
Way back in the day, Jesus saved his harshest criticisms for the prideful religious leaders, the apparent success stories of His day. Unmasking their duplicity, He said …
Matthew 23:5-7 They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honour at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi.
Pride is such an ugly thing which is why, in God’s kingdom, the highest rank you can ever attain … is servant. It’s more of a race to the bottom.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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