The Lord gave this phrase to me last year and it has been a powerful principle that I have come to live by: “When you come in contact with an area of greatness in another person’s life, don’t let pride keep you from learning the lessons they were supposed to teach you to raise you up.”
I have come to understand how important God’s words were to me. We recently had a young man come to us for advice about a decision he was going to make and he asked us for our wisdom. We prayed and saw some red flags, so we shared our concerns with him. We had a lot of experience in this area and also saw some major concerns with the way the situation was unfolding. We were asked to shepherd and to give guidance, so we did, but he went forward with the decision and felt scolded by our expressed concerns. You see, he had already made up his mind to do this and expected us to agree. When we didn’t, pride came in and blocked the protection we were trying to offer him. Since then, things did not go as planned for him and some of the very things the Holy Spirit asked us to share with him have happened. Our concerns were supposed to guard him and protect him, but he felt fearful and overwhelmed and failed to fully consider wise counsel.
I have definitely been guilty of the same. God put people in my life when I was young in ministry that I could have learned more from. I was busy trying to prove that I was already at their level and that I “had it”, but I really didn’t. I missed valuable opportunities to learn important lessons and gain incredible wisdom.
We have to humble ourselves and submit ourselves to one another in love. We must quiet our deafening egos to learn from someone who has been there. Pride kicks in and drowns out a voice meant to release into us. We have to recognize that and receive. Someone else’s greatness is not meant to diminish you; it’s meant to raise you up!
Our missionaries to India are like this in my life. I love spending time with this family. The way they talk about faith for the miraculous inspires me and I think, “Well, I have that kind of faith, too! Yes!” because I knew I should. But God said, “No. You really don’t have that same level of faith. So listen and learn and don’t let their faith for the miraculous diminish you, let it encourage you, challenge you, raise you up!”
Pride and offense can block what God is trying to cultivate in you. Say no to them and receive all He has for you through others! Let someone else’s area of greatness teach you the lessons you are supposed to learn to raise you up!
~ Kristine Morgan
The Pastor’s Wife
