How can we guard against pride from wealth as warned in Ezekiel 28:4? Setting the scene Ezekiel 28:4 warns, “By your wisdom and understanding you have gained your wealth, and amassed gold and silver in your treasuries”. The king of Tyre’s problem was not success itself but the self-exaltation that followed it. Wealth became fuel for pride, severing his dependence on the Lord. The passage is a timeless mirror: when possessions rise, so can self-reliance. Recognizing how pride sneaks in • Success can blur the line between God-given ability and self-generated achievement. • Accumulated resources tempt us to feel secure apart from the Lord (Deuteronomy 8:17-18). • Influence gained through wealth can feed the illusion of self-sovereignty (Psalm 62:10). Practical guards against pride 1. Celebrate God as the Source • Acknowledge Him verbally when promotions, raises, or business growth come (James 1:17). • Keep a gratitude journal that lists every milestone and attributes it to His grace. 2. Make giving a reflex, not an afterthought • Honor the Lord with the first portion, not the leftovers (Proverbs 3:9-10). • Set automatic transfers for regular generosity; remove the chance to hesitate. 3. Maintain visible reminders of dependence • Memorize and recite passages like John 15:5—“Apart from Me you can do nothing.” • Place an open Bible or a Scripture card on your desk as a daily checkpoint. 4. Pursue accountability • Invite a trusted believer to speak up when your language drifts toward self-praise (Proverbs 27:6). • Share financial plans with that person so spending and giving both remain transparent. 5. Cultivate eternal perspective • Rehearse 1 Timothy 6:17-19: riches are “uncertain,” good works are eternal. • Regularly engage in ministries where material status carries no weight—hospital visits, prison outreach, children’s classes. 6. Practice voluntary limitation • Choose seasons of simpler living—skip an upgrade, resist status purchases—to train the heart that “life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15). • Fast periodically from non-essential spending; let the hunger for more redirect you to prayer. Scriptures to keep close Taking action today 1. Read Ezekiel 28 aloud, noticing each pride indicator. 2. List your recent financial gains and explicitly thank God for each one. 3. Choose one guard above to implement this week—set a specific time, place, and amount if it involves giving. 4. Ask your accountability partner to check in after seven days. Keeping wealth in its proper place is not a one-time decision but a continual posture of humility, gratitude, and open-handed stewardship. |
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