What steps can we take to avoid the pride seen in Numbers 16:27? Seeing the Danger “...Dathan and Abiram came out and stood in the entrances of their tents, with their wives and children and infants.” (Numbers 16:27) Korah’s faction stayed defiantly planted at their tent doors—a picture of pride dug in and unwilling to bend. God’s swift judgment that followed (16:31-33) reminds us that unchecked pride still brings ruin (Proverbs 16:18). Step One: Remember Who God Is • Keep His greatness before you—daily time in passages like Isaiah 6:1-5 or Revelation 4 re-centers the soul. • Speak His praises aloud; gratitude displaces self-exaltation (Psalm 34:1-3). Step Two: Keep a Low Posture • Invite the Spirit to search your motives (Psalm 139:23-24). • Compare yourself with Christ, not peers; His perfection humbles (Philippians 2:5-8). • Meditate on James 4:6—“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Step Three: Stay Under God-Given Leadership • Honor legitimate authority even when imperfect, as Moses urged Korah to do (Romans 13:1-2; Hebrews 13:17). • When concerns arise, address them respectfully and privately, not through public rebellion. Step Four: Serve, Don’t Spotlight • Look for hidden tasks that bless others (Matthew 6:3-4). • Ask, “Would I still do this if no one noticed?” Service without applause strangles pride. Step Five: Guard Your Heart Daily • Keep a gratitude journal; pride and thankfulness cannot coexist. • Build accountability—let trusted believers confront early signs of arrogance (Galatians 6:1-2). • Fast periodically; physical humility trains spiritual humility. Step Six: Run to Repentance • Confess pride as sin the moment it surfaces (1 John 1:9). • Seek restoration with anyone wounded by your self-promotion (Matthew 5:23-24). Step Seven: Fix Your Eyes on Jesus • Whenever pride whispers, remember the Son of God washing feet (John 13:3-5). • Rest in His cross; the ground is level there, and boasting melts away (Galatians 6:14). Walking these steps keeps us from standing stubbornly at our own “tent door” like Korah, and positions us to receive the grace God delights to give the humble. |
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