WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
OCTOBER 14, 2022
TOPIC: DON’T FEEL MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS
BY T. O. BANSO
“‘Are you Israelites more important to me than the Ethiopians?’ asks the Lord. ‘I brought Israel out of Egypt, but I also brought the Philistines from Crete and led the Arameans out of Kir’” (Amos 9:7 New Living Translation).
Pride is a feeling that you’re more important than others or better than they are. People have this feeling for different reasons. It could be because of their birth, race, tribe, social status, education, life achievements, profession, etc. They could consider others as inferior. They might not want to sit down with them or discuss with them. But, as a child of God, there is no reason for anyone to feel more important than others.
As a child of God, no matter your exploits or attainment in life, never feel more important than anyone. Be grateful to God for whatever you’ve achieved and whatever position you occupy. What you’ve achieved or the position you occupy is not because you are more brilliant, diligent, prayerful, etc. than others. There are others better than you in these areas.
Paul said, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10 New King James Version). Humble yourself. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Before his downfall, a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honour (Proverbs 18:12).
Don’t feel more important than others. You must get rid of it in your life. It is pride. David said, “Lord, I am not proud. I don’t pretend to be more important than others. I am not interested in doing great things or trying to reach impossible goals” (Psalm 131:1 Easy-to-Read Version).
Don’t feel more important than others. Jesus said, “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place” (Luke 14:8-9 New King James Version).
Jesus continued, “But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (verses 10-11 New King James Version).
Even if you have the best credentials, the best exposure, the brightest chance, the deepest revelation, the most powerful anointing, etc., don’t feel more important than others. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord if you really want Him to lift you up (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6). When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom (Proverbs 11:2).
In 1 Peter 5:1, Peter didn’t present himself to the church elders as more important than the other church leaders. He referred to himself simply as “a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed” (New King James Version). Peter didn’t devise a high-sounding name or title for himself, to command attention and honour. He was content to be a fellow elder. He put himself on the same pedestal as other church leaders, who might not have possessed his credentials.
Peter had imbibed the teachings of Jesus Christ not to lead as the rulers of the Gentiles did, lording it over others (Matthew 20:25; Mark 10:42). Therefore, it was not difficult for Peter to tell his fellow elders to shepherd the flock of God among them, serving as overseers, not by compulsions but willingly, and not for dishonest gain but eagerly. He could tell his fellow elders not to lord it over those entrusted to them, but be examples to them (1 Peter 5:2-3).
Peter wasn’t full of himself. He didn’t promote himself beyond the level he could minister to the other elders. He humbled himself – a fellow elder. He was competent to teach humility.
According to Matthew 18:4, whoever humbles himself as a little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. The greatest in the Kingdom of God is not the person with the biggest ministerial title, the most popular person, or the richest person.
Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Don’t be high-minded or arrogant (Romans 11:20). Take delight in honouring others (Romans 12:10). “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” (Romans 12:16 New Living Translation).
In the book of James, the Apostle James warned the church not to consider some people more important than others. “You show special attention to the person wearing nice clothes. You say, ‘Sit here in this good seat.’ But you say to the poor person, ‘Stand there!’ or ‘Sit on the floor by our feet!’ Doesn’t this show that you think some people are more important than others? You set yourselves up as judges—judges who make bad decisions” (James 2:3-4 Easy-to-Read Version).
He emphasized the need to obey the royal law to “love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.” James 2:9 says, “But if you are treating one person as more important than another, you are sinning. You are guilty of breaking God’s law” (Easy-to-Read Version).
Hear what the LORD told the Israelites, “‘Are you Israelites more important to me than the Ethiopians?’ asks the Lord. ‘I brought Israel out of Egypt, but I also brought the Philistines from Crete and led the Arameans out of Kir’” (Amos 9:7 New Living Translation).
The New International Version puts Amos 9:7 this way: “‘Are not you Israelites the same to me as the Cushites?’ declares the Lord. ‘Did I not bring Israel up from Egypt, the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir?” In other words, the Israelites were not superior to the Cushites or Ethiopians. The New Century Version says, “Israel, you are no different to me than the people of Cush.”
The Israelites felt that as God’s peculiar people, brought from Egypt to Canaan, they were more important than other nations, and, therefore, could live in sin and God would not cast them away. But God said that He also brought the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir. He would destroy the sinful nation of Israel though not completely. “‘Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are on the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of the earth; yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,’ says the LORD” (Amos 9:8 New King James Version).
In your walk with God or your relationship with others, don’t feel more important than others. God doesn’t use double standards. He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). God has no favourites; He will judge or reward you according to what you do (1 Peter 1:17). He won’t give anyone special consideration to disobey His Word because he is His favourite. “And if you don’t do your best for him, he will pay you in a way that you won’t like-for he has no special favorites who can get away with shirking” (Colossians 3:25 The Living Bible). You are no different from others. God demands from you the same obedience to His Word that He demands from others.
Don’t feel more important than others.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, let me not feel more important than others. Help me let me humble myself under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. I pray that all the children of God will not think of themselves more highly than we ought to think, but rather think of ourselves with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given each person.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
