Pride Can't Surrender

"At that time Jesus answered and said, 'I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.'" Matthew 11:25 The wise and prudent of this world are steeped in the love of the world, and their goals are the promotion of self ...always ...the promotion of self. More riches, more prestige, more power, more acknowledgment. You can't have it both ways. The principles of the Kingdom of God are the opposite from the principles of the world, and entry into the Kingdom of God requires the death of the pride of man. That's something that those who are wise in the things of the world and those who have made a name for themselves cannot even begin to understand. So ...God indeed has revealed his principles to the lowly. "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;" 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 Consider carefully your ways. If your intentions in life are to gain wealth or honor, you make yourself ineligible for the Kingdom of God. Entry into the Kingdom of God requires humility and surrender. Not everyone can do that. The death of pride is very difficult. For many ...too difficult. "Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23-24 That does not mean that a rich person cannot enter the Kingdom of God, it is only saying that for that person it's going to be very difficult. It will cost him his pride and for the rich, that's excruciatingly painful. He can no longer be king of his own world, he must surrender to the King of the Kingdom of God. Sadly, that's just unacceptable to many who have advanced their name or their wealth in the eyes of the world. Friends, there is no joy like the joy of a surrendered heart. Wisdom is surrendering to one's creator who has said he has the plan for one's life, and that plan is uniquely created to bring the person to true riches and unanticipated joy. There is no peace like the peace of a surrendered heart. When you surrender pride you're not losing, you're gaining more than you could ever imagine, both for this life and for the life to come. Pray with me: Father, we are all filled with pride, that's the human condition, the fallen human nature. It's so obvious - if someone says something against me, I see pride rise up in self-defense and self-justification, oh how pride takes over! Help me, I pray, to surrender my pride to you. Even though my flesh cries out against it, the decision of my heart is to surrender to you, and I ask for grace to do it. It's not something the fallen human nature can do, Father, I can only be willing for you to grant me the grace to surrender all to you, all, everything, my life, my cares, my interests, and most of all, my self. Grant that grace to me Father, because truly I want to be pleasing in your sight and only in your sight. Father God, truly - I choose to surrender all. Help me to make that real.