![[Photo of a Scripture verse]](https://www.deankwilson.com/Blog_images/Proverbs_16_19.jpg)
| “Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.” |
| —Proverbs 16:19 |
Have you ever met someone who seemed headed for the top? In the business world, most of us have met such a person. He or she seems destined for greatness, at least insofar as holding a position of importance is concerned. And, far too often, such a person knows that he or she is on the way up and acts accordingly.
Instead of humility, such a person often displays an insufferable arrogance. I suspect that arrogance comes from climbing over the bodies of others on the way upward. I could tell you a number of stories from my business career of such individuals. None of those stories are very pretty.
In contrast, as followers of the Great King Jesus, we “Christ’s-ones” have a much different place in society. Though inheritors of the wealth and power of our King, we are destined to live in humility, extending the mercy, grace, and love of our King to all we meet.
King Solomon offered these words of wisdom for people such as us, found in Proverbs 16:19:
Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
When we encounter people less fortunate than we are, we need to remember that we, too, are of low estate, at least as the world judges such matters. Increasingly, in our godless and secular society, we are outcasts, the brunt of jokes, ridiculed because of our faith, looked down upon because of the Christian principles we hold dear, and even hated for our sense of joy and peace. We do far better in the role of ministers to the poor and needy. We don’t need accolades or positions of power and influence. We simply need to become more and more obedient to our King and devote ourselves to doing His will and His work in this world.
As we begin a new day, let’s not allow ourselves to desire wealth, power, or esteem that comes to someone who arrogantly struggles to reach the top. If God wants us to move up, He will move us upward. If God wants us to stay right where we are, then that’s the position we should celebrate. And, through it all, our main role is to give glory to Him by obediently following His will and His way.
