Here Solomon tells us about 7 things God detests. Hopefully you are reading the chapter that coincides with the day of each devotion but in case you aren’t let me encourage you to at least look at the list in verses 16-19. I want to zero in for a moment on one that is often skipped over. The very first thing he tells us God hates is “haughty eyes.” In the original Hebrew it literally means “to be high” or “to rise.” It means to look down on others, to be arrogant. It is certainly okay to recognize and even to be recognized for talent and contribution in our story. It’s also okay at times to celebrate or be celebrated for those things. The haughty person believes they are responsible for the talents, gifts and contributions they make that impact, in a positive way, the world they live in. The humble person understands that God alone is responsible for their gifts and talents. They also recognize that when they utilize those things they have been spurred on and directed by the power of his Holy Spirit. He alone truly deserves the credit. It’s when we believe that we are responsible for having the talents and abilities that haughtiness, often seen as arrogance or pride, is present. We are responsible to use what God gives us for His glory and not ours. If in the course of doing that we are recognized or honored it gives us a great platform to point people to the true author of our story and the owner of our journey, our creator God. In other words those with similar gift, talents and abilities are distinguished from one another in their heart and not even necessarily in their outcomes. Today be diligent, work hard and at the end of the day humbly thank you creator for the ability to do what he has called and placed you here to do. #BeTheEdge
“For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” 1 Corinthians 4:7 NIV
