Prov 29:23 A mans pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor NKJV

The word for pride in Hebrew is Ga`avah meaning: pride, majesty, a rising up, swelling, haughtiness. The attitude is one of knowing it all, confidence in one’s self, artificially inflating your self-image, and thinking you are better than other’s. It can’t be taught anything and already knows the answer. What is the end result? To be brought low. The word in Hebrew is Shaphel meaning: to be or become low, sink, be humbled, be abased, humiliate, to set in a lower place. What’s interesting is that the end-goal of pride is to show how great you are to others. And yet the end result is actually humiliation. You are sat down at the kids table when you were trying to prove you had a place with the grown-ups.

So what is the answer if you seek honor? To be humble. The word in Hebrew is Shaphal meaning humble, low (in height, in station). And in what way should we be humble? In our spirit. The word in Hebrew for spirit is Ruwach and it means wind, breath, mind, spirit. So we are to take the lower position and humble ourselves from the inside out. In our innermost being we must decide to take second place, put aside seeking glory for ourselves, and determine to follow Christ in every action. What is the end result of humility? The very thing that the prideful man seeks. The word in Hebrew is Kabowd meaning glory, honour, abundance, riches. The prideful man seeks glory but what he gets is humiliation. The humble man seeks the honor of others, and what he get’s is glory, honor, and abundance.

Jesus warned against this when he preached against the Pharisees. He said they modified their appearance to look larger than life. That they took the best seats, loved it when everyone knew their name in the marketplace, and loved to be called teacher as if they had all the wisdom. But Jesus admonished them that the way to greatness was the opposite. He said the greatest will be the servant, and whoever humbled themselves would be exalted.

Related Reading:

Matthew 23:5 But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. 6 They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ 8 But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10 And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. 11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. NKJV

Luke 14:7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: 8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” NKJV