222 Sermon Illustrations on Pride

“Cynics regarded everybody as equally corrupt. Idealists regarded everybody as equally corrupt, except themselves.”

-- Robert Anton Wilson, philosopher

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In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident. It wasn’t a technology problem like radar malfunction -- or even thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship’s presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late (Closer Walk, December, 1991).

If we continue on our present course, we will share in their fate.

*

Praise is a thing we all love. I met with a man the other day who said he was impervious to flattery; I was walking with him at the time, and turning round rather sharply, I said, "At any rate, sir, you seem to have a high gift in flattering yourself, for you are really doing so, in saying you are impervious to flattery." "You cannot flatter me," he said. I replied, "I can, if I like to try; and perhaps may do so before the day is out." I found I could not flatter him directly, so I began by saying what a fine child that was of his; and he drank it in as a precious draught; and when I praised this thing and that thing belonging to him, I could see that he was very easily flattered; not directly, but indirectly. We are all pervious to flattery; we like the soothing cordial, only it must not be labeled flattery; for we have a religious abhorrence of flattery if it be so called; call it by any other name, and we drink it in, even as the ox drinketh in water.

-C. H. Spurgeon

As Michaelangelo wore a lamp on his cap to prevent his own shadow from being thrown upon the picture which he was painting, so the Christian minister and servant needs to have the candle of the Spirit always burning in his heart, lest the reflection of self and self-glorying may fall upon his work to darken and defile it.

1. 1 John 2:16 'the pride of life'

2. Isa 2:10-18 - the pride of the people - the men

a. proud men humbled (vv 11, 17)

(1) only God exalted (vv 11, 17)

(2) day of the Lord = act or time of judgement

b. against proud and lofty

(1) cedars of Lebanon – pride in beauty

(2) oaks of Bashan – pride in strength

(3) high mountains and hills – pride in position

(4) high towers and fensed walls – pride in power

c. why were they like this? Verse 18: idols

3. Isa 3:16-4:1 – Pride in the City -- the women

a. flaunting themselves, v 16

b. punishments in kind

(1) removing that of which they were proud, verse 17

(2) depriving them of what they cared for, verses 18-23

(3) changing beauty (joy) to ashes (mourning), verse 24

(4) aloofness changed to abasement, verses 25, 4:1

4. Isa 14:4-23 – Pride in the World

a. king of Babylon (cf Daniel and Nebuchanezzar)

b. the example Judah emulated, the application obvious

c. secondary meaning (especially verses 12-15) to the devil

d. God supreme over the nations of the world, verses 16-17, 22-23

A political enemy once accused Abraham Lincoln of being two-faced. Abe laughed and said, “Now, do you think that if I had another face I’d be wearing this one?”

Lincoln, who rose from a Kentucky log cabin to the White House, showed the world what humility really means. In spite of his great power as President, he never lost touch with the people he grew up with, or claimed to be something he wasn’t. He never tried to impress people.

One of Lincoln’s last acts before he left Springfield, Illinois, to go as President to Washington, D.C., was to visit his old law office and say goodbye to his partner, William Herndon. After they finished discussing business, he lay down on the office sofa and stared at the ceiling.

“Billy,” he asked, “how long have we been together?”

“More than sixteen years.”

“We’ve never had a cross word, have we?”

They talked about the many funny things that had happened through the years, and then, as Abe picked up his books to leave, he pointed to the signboard swinging on its rusty hinges at the foot of the stairway.

“Let it hang there,” he said. “I want the people to know that the election of a President makes no change in the firm of Lincoln and Herndon. If I live, I’m coming back some time, and we’ll go right on practicing law as if nothing had happened.”

Most politicians from the East thought of Lincoln as an ignorant frontier lawyer. They were sure he could never handle the problems of a President. They knew he could never fit in with the educated, polished people of Washington.

Abe never argued about that. He didn’t change his homely way of speaking. He kept right on telling his funny stories and didn’t worry about whether people admired him or not. “My course,” he said, “is as plain as a turnpike road. It is marked out by the Constitution. I am in no doubt which way to go.”

Although many people didn’t like having this long, lean rail-splitter for President, they couldn’t help but see honesty and a natural dignity in his face. He never tried to pretend to be what he wasn’t and he never forgot the humble background from which the Lord had brought him.

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Source: CLIMBING JACOB’S LADDER, by Jeanne Larson and Ruth McLin, Copyright 1979 by the Review and Herald Publishing Association

My wife works in the fuels squadron at an Air Force base, and many of her co-workers complain about the superior attitude of the pilots.

One day the fuel crew decided to put things in perspective for the proud pilots. They all came to work wearing shirts inscribed, “Without fuel, pilots are pedestrians.”

________

Source: Laughter for a Saturday

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? And to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22).

Patrick O’Boyle tells about an incident in Hyde Park, a large public park in London, England, famous for its soapbox orators. He recalls one particular day, back in the 1940’s, when Frank Sheed, a Christian author and publisher was addressing the crowd in the “Speakers’ Corner.” He writes: “Sheed could be devastating with hecklers. Once, after he had described the extraordinary order and design to be seen in the universe, a persistent challenger retorted by pointing to all the world’s ills, and ended by shouting, ‘I could make a better universe than your God!’ ‘I won’t ask you to make a universe,’ Sheed replied. ‘But would you make a rabbit — just to establish confidence?’”

Pride leads people to believe that they could do things better than God, if only given the chance. They question God and criticize the world he has made and the way he has made it. Like the heckler in the story, they believe that they could create a universe better than God. Of course they could not even make a rabbit, but they like to think they could do a better job with the universe than God. It would be interesting to start with the universe, and then let these people just be in charge for a short while to actually see how well they would do. We get some idea of how well this would work by looking at the lives of people who had a little taste of being in charge of the world by being world leaders — Stalin, Hitler, Mao Tse-tung, Henry VIII, and the list could go on. We get no clearer picture of this than the life of Saul, Israel’s first King. In spite of all that God did for him, he never really was willing to do things God’s way.

The first thing I would like to point out about Saul is that he did it his way because: He was filled with pride instead of dependent humility. Actually, Saul had very humble beginnings, but God saw future potential in his life and chose him to be king. In the beginning of the story of Saul, we realize that the thought of becoming the king of Israel was the farthest thing from his mind. When Samuel the prophet came to Saul and said, “To whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and all your father’s family?” Saul answered, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?” (1 Samuel 9:20-21). He was incredulous that God would seek him out to be the king of Israel. He thought of himself as a person of no importance in the life of the country. Even when Samuel gathered all the people together to select their first king and anoint him, Saul hid so that no one could find him. Being king was not an office he was seeking. He in effect said, “If nominated I will not run, if elected I will not serve.” But when the people discovered his whereabouts and brought him to Samuel, they noticed his fine appearance. The Bible tells about it with these words: “They ran and brought him out, and as he stood among the people he was a head taller than any of the others. Samuel said to all the people, ‘Do you see the man the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.’ Then the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!’” (1 Samuel 10:23-24). It sounded strange at first, but then he began to like the sound of it. He started believing what everyone was saying about how great he was. The mantle of king not only started to feel comfortable, it seemed as though it should have always been there. He was one of the beautiful people, one of the admired, and he liked it. Slowly he became impressed with himself.

At the ceremony where Saul was anointed, there was a group of men who were not so impressed with him. The Bible says, “But some troublemakers said, ‘How can this fellow save us?’ They despised him and brought him no gifts. But Saul kept silent” (1 Samuel 10:27). He could have ordered them executed, but he did not say anything to them at all. And after his first military victory over the Ammonites, the people brought the men who had spoken against him and wanted to put them to death. But Saul said, “No one shall be put to death today, for this day the Lord has rescued Israel” (1 Samuel 11:13).

It was a sign of his initial humble greatness. But things began to turn quickly. It was not the people who were against Saul who caused him concern, it was those who were for him. A young upstart named David became an overnight sensation after killing a Philistine giant in battle, and Saul began plotting how he could kill him. Saul could handle his enemies, but he could not stand the success of his friends. David was getting into the spotlight. After the army of Israel came home from battle, the women began to dance and sing: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). Then the Bible says, “Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. ‘They have credited David with tens of thousands,’ he thought, ‘but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?’ And from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David” (1 Samuel 18:8-9). His jealousy was the natural product of his pride.

One of the interesting events in Saul’s life was his defeat of the Amalekites. God, through the prophet Samuel, had specifically instructed Saul that he was not to keep any of the spoils of battle. But he deliberately went against what God had told him to do. He had failed to carry out the Lord’s instructions and was unfaithful. But the Bible says, “Early in the morning Samuel got up and went to meet Saul, but he was told, ‘Saul has gone to Carmel. There he has set up a monument in his own honor…’” (1 Samuel 15:12). When Samuel met him he said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel… Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?” (1 Samuel 15:17, 19). This was one of Saul’s first acts as king, and it was an act of disobedience — and at the same time he was building a monument in his own honor! Saul is like many people in that he was proud of what he should have been ashamed of. He neglected to see that he had failed in carrying out the task God had given him, yet he was swollen with pride. Pride became his constant companion, and it caused him to believe in himself more than God. Pride means doing it your way instead of God’s way. You think you know better than God how your life should be lived and how things need to be done. The Bible says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18). And that is exactly what happened with Saul. God is in the business of taking nobodies and making them somebodies, but sometimes these nobodies believe they became somebody by their own effort.

The second thing that we notice is that Saul did it his way because: He was controlled by impulse instead of trusting faith. John Bunyan said, “I would rather walk in the dark with God than go alone in the light.” But that is not how Saul thought. He was impatient. He wanted to go by his own instincts. Over and over again he chooses the expedient way instead of the obedient way. The very next battle that Saul gets into is one against the Philistines. Now Samuel had instructed him that he was to wait seven days before engaging the Philistines in battle. Samuel was to come on the seventh day and offer sacrifices to God before the army went against the enemy. But things were deteriorating among Saul’s army. The soldiers were growing more and more afraid of the Philistines who were spread out before them like a mighty host — well-equipped and fearsome. Some of the men of Israel started hiding in caves and others ran away toward their homes. Saul felt that if he did not act fast he would lose the entire army. But the Lord was testing him to see if he was going to act on impulse or on faith. Saul failed the test because he did not wait on Samuel, but hastily offered the sacrifices himself — something he was forbidden to do. Just as he finished, Samuel arrived — exactly as he said he would. Samuel said to him: “You acted foolishly. You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command” (1 Samuel 13:13-14).

How easy it is to get ahead of God. We tell ourselves that something has to be done. Things look ominous, and we are tempted to take things into our own hands, even though we know that what we are planning is not right. We fail to wait on God. We fail to live in faith, and so we are tempted to act on impulse rather than waiting on God’s guidance. We rely on our own intelligence and abilities rather than doing things in the way, and in the time, God has instructed us. We choose the expedient over obedience. Someone has said, “Doing God’s will in something other than God’s way cannot truly be God’s will.” We have seen that principle at work in the lives of many of the biblical characters we have studied.

Earlier, when Samuel rebuked Saul for his disobedience, he said, “For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23). Those words were more than a rebuke, they were a prophesy, because Saul’s rebellion did lead to divination. Toward the end of his reign, Saul is again facing the Philistines in battle. They are surrounded, and Saul seeks a word from God for direction, but the heavens are silent because God had turned away from Saul since he had repeatedly turned away from the Lord. Desperate for some kind of guidance he went to a Witch in a town called Endor. Early in his reign Saul had forbidden anyone to consult a witch for divination — fortune telling. If someone practiced witchcraft and the occult they did so at the cost of their life, but now Saul is seeking help from a necromancer and asks her to raise Samuel from the dead so that he might speak with him. Fortune telling and the occult are declared as serious sins throughout the Bible, but Saul is willing to use anything that might possibly work for him. This is the last in a long line of spiritual compromises and concessions in the life of Saul. He is adding sin upon sin instead of turning away from the attitude which had ruined his life. He has not learned anything in all the mistakes he has made.

The Bible says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). If only Saul would have had a little humility he would not have been tempted to act on his own impulses. The thing that Saul never learned was that God could have used him in spite of his mistakes, if only he had a teachable heart that yearned for God. God could have used him in spite of his weaknesses, but he did not want to admit he had any weaknesses. So he covered them up, he justified the things he did, he lied about them and distorted reality. He was supposed to be following God, but he always had the back door open so that he could resort to his old ways if he needed to. You can’t do that if you are going to follow God. When the back door is left open, it is all too easy to go through it whenever the impulse strikes. The Spirit of God had come upon Saul at different times in his life. The Bible says that after his anointing he became a different man. But he slid back into the same old rut, in spite of what God was trying to accomplish through him and in him. He could not seem to give up that self-willed spirit.

That leads to the final point that Saul did it his way because: He was driven by rebellion instead of loving obedience. As I look at the life of Saul I see someone who was extremely willful and very much in love with himself. He kind of loved God, but most of all he loved himself. He would obey God, as long as God’s will did not conflict or interfere with his will. He would do what God wanted him to do, unless there was something else he wanted to do. He had a religious flare but a rebellious heart. He used God for his own purposes. He wanted to offer sacrifices because he wanted God to bless his efforts. He wanted God’s guidance so he could be successful. But Saul was the center of his own universe. Truly, “rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.” To rebel against God leads to the worship of self. The worship of self is idolatry. The Bible says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you… Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:7-10).

Learning how to obey God out of love is one of the most important things we can learn in life. It is not enough to go through religious ritual — Saul did that. It is not enough to talk about God — Saul did that too. It is not enough to be engaged in God’s work — Saul did that as well. The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart. God does not want our worship unless it is backed up by a life lived out of love for him. Samuel said to Saul, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22). God wants you, not your religious ritual. He wants a heart that longs for him rather than a person who merely does their duty.

It was the eleventh century, and King Henry III of Bavaria had grown tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. Hoping to escape the stress and demands of his position, he applied to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery. “Your Majesty,” said Prior Richard, “do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience? That will be hard because you have been a king.” “I understand,” said Henry. “The rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you.” “Then I will tell you what to do,” said Prior Richard. “Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where God has put you.” When King Henry died, a statement was written which said: “The king learned to rule by being obedient.” [see also #1986]

If you want to rule your own life you must learn the lesson of obedience. Be careful of traces of a rebellious heart. Be very cautious of the tendency to want to make your life decisions by your own instincts, rather than waiting on God. Be careful of carrying God in your pocket like a good luck charm — taking him out only when you need him and keeping him hidden the rest of the time. Be careful of the kind of pride that can lead you away from God — thinking that everything you are and have are the result of your own effort. Pride is the belief that only weak people need God and that you are somehow different. Be careful of giving God a wink and going off to live life by your own effort. Be careful of forgetting that you are completely dependent on God. Be careful of trying it on your own before you resort to calling on God for his help. Be careful because these are the traits of a godless life — no matter how religious you might be.

Clarence Jordan was the author of the “Cotton Patch” version of the New Testament and was also founder of the interracial Koinonia farm in Americus, Georgia. He tells of being in another state where a minister was giving him a full tour of his church. With pride the minister pointed to the rich, imported pews and luxurious decorations. They finally went outside on their way home. It was getting dark out, and a spotlight was shining on a huge cross placed on the top the steeple. The minister said to Jordan, with obvious pride: “That cross alone cost us ten thousand dollars.” “You got cheated,” said Jordan. “Times were when Christians could get them for free.”

They are still free for anyone who wants one, for Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul” (Matthew 16:24-26).

Don’t come to the end of life saying, “I did it my way.” Live so that you can truthfully say, “I did it God’s way.”

Saul did it his way because:

1. He was filled with _____________________ instead of _________________________.

2. He was controlled by __________________ instead of _________________________.

3. He was driven by ______________________ instead of ________________________.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What were the three things which led Saul to do it his way?

2. Read Proverbs 16:18. How did this principle work in the life of Saul.

3. What are the benefits of humility?

4. Why is it difficult for some to accept their dependence upon God?

5. Someone has said, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Why is this so often true?

6. Read Isaiah 30:18. Why is it hard to wait on God? Why is it so important?

7. Read Hebrews 11:6. What is it that pleases God? Why does it please him?

8. Samuel said, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” What was the meaning of this statement?

9. Read John 14:15. How are love and obedience related? Can you have one without the other?

10. Read 1 Peter 5:5. What are your feelings about this passage?

11. Why is it so hard to choose God’s will when our will is different from his will? How can we overcome this?

12. Read 1 Samuel 13:14. From where does God want our obedience to come? Why is this important?

It is time to snap out of your state of blissful ignorance. A new study has proved that your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife isn’t as hot as you think they are.

Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands brought in 70 couples. They took headshot photographs of both people in every couple.

They had everyone rate their boyfriend or girlfriend’s level of attractiveness, and their own level. Then, they had all of the other people go through the headshots and rate the attractiveness of the people in the pictures.

What did they find? Both men and women consistently rated their significant other’s hotness much higher than strangers did. Both men and women also rated themselves hotter than strangers did.

But the researchers say this is actually a GOOD THING.

Other studies have shown that people who are delusional about how hot their partner is generally feel happier, more loving, and more trusting in a relationship.

________

LiveScience

I was first introduced to the idea of a pivot foot not on a basketball court but in a seminary classroom when a counseling professor used the term as an illustration.

Similar to basketball players, he wanted his students to keep one foot stationary in their biblical convictions, yet swivel open in respect to counselors who held opposing viewpoints.

A seed was planted within me that day. Over time, with nurturing by the Holy Spirit, the illustration of that basketball move blossomed into an unexpected work of humility in my life.

My pivot foot has expanded my circle of friends to now include those with whom I don’t agree on every point of theology or practice. God has given me the grace to love and accept Christians of various backgrounds and theological leanings. He has matured me in ways I didn’t realize I even needed.

The landscape of Christianity currently consists of believers grounded in the truth of the Gospel, yet divided on various issues. We could benefit by developing a pivot foot.

Here are five reasons why:

To promote unity within the body of Christ

Galatians 3:28 states that believers come from different races, social statuses and genders, but in Christ we are one.

We also make distinctions among ourselves based on theological convictions, church methodology or views of Christian culture and conduct. Convinced our own preferences are right, we feel justified when we quietly, yet scornfully dismiss our brothers and sisters in Christ who disagree.

However, we would do well to remember our equal standing. Proponents of both groups are sinners raised to life in Christ. The Gospel levels us. So let’s use our pivot foot to find unity within the body of Christ.

For the good of unbelievers

The development of a Christian pivot foot ironically benefits unbelievers. In Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17, He petitions the Father four times for the unity of His people (vs. 11, 21-23).

One motivation is love for the lost. Jesus concludes His request in verse 21 with: “so that the world may believe You have sent me.”

How does unity among Christians bring the lost to believe Jesus is God in the flesh? When we unite, our focus moves outward toward the hurting, instead of inward on ourselves. We begin to see needs we previously missed. Together, we offer love in the form of deeds and truth. They see our good works and give glory to God. Let’s pivot toward one another for the sake of the lost.

To demonstrate humility

Pride loves being right. Pride also loves self while humility puts others first. As we humbly extend our pivot foot, we make room for those with whom we disagree.

It takes humility to set aside for the sake of someone else what we deem as unequivocally right. Could we begin to question ourselves some, remembering our own fallibility? Maybe our right findings aren’t as impenetrable as we thought. And even if they are, could we lower our pride in them to make room for others to come close?

Jesus humbly set aside His divine rights for a time for the sake of others (Philippians 2:5-8). Let’s identify with Christ and model His humility by developing a pivot foot.

For the opportunity to show love

It’s only natural to love people just like ourselves. Even the Gentiles do this (Matthew 5:46). But Christ-like love intentionally pivots toward opponents for their good, even when the flesh prefers to turn away.

Consider how Jesus loves and welcomes people unlike Himself. The Infinite moves toward the finite. The Self-Sufficient invites the dependent near. The Holy One draws sinners to Himself. The foundation of Jesus’ ministry was a radical, self-less love. A more expansive pivot foot never existed.

Let’s be more than just open to these opportunities. May we cheerfully pursue those with whom we differ and even surprise them by our love and affirmation.

For the unexpected benefit of joy

If you’ve remained in your theological and practical bubble for some time, you might be surprised by how much you’d learn and enjoy rubbing shoulders with some outsiders. I certainly was.

When the Lord moved my family to a church unlike any we’d served in, I was skeptical at first. But as I pivoted my heart toward them, I found a surprising joy.

I quickly realized we had more in common than I expected, primarily the Gospel. This alone brought joy. I was refreshed by their genuine desire to abide in Jesus and not simply acknowledge truths about Him. I saw a vibrancy of faith and eagerness in prayer that challenged me to seek the Father more wholeheartedly. Through their faithfulness to serve and teach, the Holy Spirit proved He can use a variety of ministries to accomplish the Father’s work (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). And their quiet patience toward those with differing viewpoints taught me a lesson about humility.

We Christians may not be known for our basketball skills, but by God’s grace, I pray these motivations would encourage us to cultivate a pivot foot toward one another that has far-reaching effects.

________

Courtney L. Moore, online at courtneylmoore.com and mother of two sons, is a member of Pinelake Church in Brandon, Mississippi, where her husband Brent is adult groups pastor.

[Article was slightly modified by David Holwick to broaden the message from Southern Baptists to Christians in general.]

Turn on any form of media today and you’ll find people labeling each other with pejorative terms, political epithets, and personal insults. Social media actually emboldens individuals to criticize and characterize others without regard for truth in their analysis. This is the world we live in today. But as the disciples of Christ, we have His words to follow when He said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). How do we demonstrate that we are His disciples? We walk in love.

Walk in love

Throughout history, Christians who have followed our Lord’s words in John 13 have stood out like candles in the night. About nine hundred years ago, the Italian hillside town of Assisi was ensnared in the frenzy of fighting. The young Francis took part in the war and was captured and imprisoned, where he ultimately became quite ill.

The Lord, however, had other plans for this young man and as his health returned, he developed a zeal to follow in the steps of Christ. In his devotion to Christ, his heart was drawn to the needy, the outcast, the poor, the beggarly, and the scorned of society. The change in him changed his community. For the rest of his life, Francis of Assisi preached Christ not just with words but with deeds of kindness. He never passed beggars without a burden for their needs. He never met the sick without praying for their strength. He embodied the love of God as he rejected the riches of this world for a life devoted to helping the impoverished in the name of Christ.

How do we walk in love?

Centuries later, we are still drawn to Francis of Assisi because of his demonstration of Christ’s love. He fulfilled John 13:35. Here are nine suggestions on ways to walk in love.

1. Be patient with others. When someone irritates you, look for something good in them. When a situation frustrates you, remember that your patience displays the patience of our Lord within us.

2. Be kind. Demonstrate kindness to others wherever you go. Even the smallest act can brighten the day of someone who will be blessed and encouraged by an unexpected act of kindness in their lives.

3. Don’t envy others. When you hear of someone’s good fortune, remember to instantly thank God for it. If you find yourself feeling frustrated that something good happened to someone else, confess it quietly as a sin and ask the Lord to give you a thankful heart for the blessing your friend has received.

4. Don’t brag about your own abilities. Learn to listen to your own words and to stop yourself whenever you find yourself boasting about your accomplishments. Let another person praise you and not your own lips.

5. Deliberately resist being prideful. A pride-filled person has their focused misplaced. Instead, focus on the Lord. Remember that every good gift comes from God, including your intellect and any talents you may possess. It all belongs to Him.

6. Never be rude. When you have a conflict with anyone — your spouse, a stranger, or a someone who is being belligerent to you — endeavor to stay pleasant. Rudeness damages not only your reputation but it also reflects negatively on your testimony.

7. Look out for the needs of others rather than your own. Practice putting others first. Don’t complain when you don’t get your way, but instead seek to serve others in His name.

8. Don’t give in to provocation. Under-react to others when they are upset with you, knowing that a soft answer turns away wrath.

9. Don’t think the worst of others. Assume the best of others whenever possible. Seek to become a positive influence in the lives of those around you. The culture is filled with negativity; be a positive light in the darkness.

By now I am sure you realize that these nine points aren’t my invention. They’re from 1 Corinthians 13:4-5: “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil.” This is the Lord’s prescription, His definition of love, and it’s the attitude that paves the way for the Gospel in a time of rancor. Be a vessel of God’s love in a world filled with hatred and strife. Practice these nine rules for walking in love — God’s love always makes a difference!

________

Originally titled "The Disciple's Path."

David Jeremiah is the founder and host of Turning Point for God and senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California.