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Real spiritual growth requires humility. An accurate understanding of truth and its appropriate application takes place in those who humbly recognize their need for truth and change. These are the Christians who have learned to respectfully embrace the clear and forthright teaching of God’s word. The Lord has promised to “lead the humble in what is right,” and to “teach the humble his way” (Ps.25:9).
To the extent that a heart succumbs to pride’s temptation, it becomes resistant to the word of God (Jms.1:21) and begins to fortify itself against the teachers God has supplied to provide instruction in godliness (1Cor.4:14-19). Such a person eventually becomes like the false teachers that Peter and Jude warn of, confidently asserting distortions of the word, and boldly dismissing the wisdom of the truth.
Humility is not easily maintained. It requires an accurate self-assessment, which acknowledges that what I presently know and practice can be augmented in significant ways by the word of the Lord, and through the teachers God’s Spirit has gifted to explain it. May God enable us all to have humble ears to ear and unpretentious eyes to see, so that we may be enabled to apply more of his truth this week.
