Daily Devotional | No Place for Pride

When I was newly married, I worked as a Christian school teacher and finances were tight. One day at church, I shared some car trouble that we were dealing with simply as a way of making conversation. After church, a friend offered to help us pay for our car repair. I was touched by the offer, but also a little humbled. It can be difficult to be on the receiving end of charity.

In Deuteronomy 7, God reminds Israel of an important truth, “The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples” (v. 7). God did not choose Israel because they had the best military,

or because they were smarter, or more deserving. Rather, it was out of His sheer grace. Grace is difficult to understand rationally precisely because it is undeserved.

This truth should have helped keep Israel humble and encourage them. Their ability to defeat the Canaanites and take their inheritance did not depend upon them, but upon God. “But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt” (v. 18).

The apostle Paul reminds us of this truth, “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor. 1:26–27). For followers of Christ there is no room for pride. God delights to use the weak, foolish, and insignificant to accomplish His mission to the world. So, if we want to boast, we should only “boast in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:31).