“Pride spins unrealistic scenarios that sound good but lack the reality of truly relying on God.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – September 4, 2024
What they trust in is fragile; what they rely on is a spider’s web. They lean on the web, but it gives way; they cling to it, but it does not hold. Job 8:14-15
We live in town but also in the woods on three acres in our little cabin on a knoll. But in the beauty of our Casa Feliz, we compete with an onslaught of spider webs. And they are relentless; like the ocean waves, the spiders never stop spinning their webs. So, part of my job description at home is Spiderman, as I regularly walk around our Fiesta Barn, gazing up into the dark corners, identifying these persistent artists of deception. Additionally, I look intently up and down the window corners of our home to remove these nasty nuisances. Fortunately, they are fragile, so I can easily create a bad day for these deceptive creatures with a whiff of my fifteen-foot pole with an attached softball-size bristle brush at the end. Spider webs are created for reproduction, protection, and ease of movement, but their primary purpose is to deceive and capture unsuspecting prey for food. So, to stay on top of them taking over, intentionality, regularity, and the right resources are required to keep these webs from annoying and soiling our beautiful spot.
Like a spider web, anything we trust outside of Jesus Christ is deceptive and fragile. We can make promises to ourselves, trust in money, or have an unhealthy reliance on someone only to be deceived and disappointed. Yet, the hardest deception to detect and overcome is self-deception. We can talk ourselves into anything if we are not aware and humble. This is how pride works. Pride says I have this figured out and don’t need anyone’s help. But at this inflection point of pride and humility, we need to humble ourselves and, at the very least, validate our ideas. Don’t rush past wisdom into a sticky web of foolish regret. Invite the Holy Spirit and trusted wise influencers for input to make our idea better or totally different. Pride spins unrealistic scenarios that sound good but lack the reality of truly relying on God. Humility takes the time to validate.
Peter captured this imagery of ridding yourself of deceptive self-talk when he reminded the early church, “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind (1 Peter 2:1). To rid yourself is to remove, not just one time, but over and over again, remove the invisible webs of the enemy whispering lies that you are not necessary, what you think really doesn’t matter, and you should give up trying, there is no hope. Webs are sticky, uncomfortable, and scary, but you can extend your bristle brush of belief in the Holy Spirit to discern and replace fragile, flimsy lies with dependable truth. This is the beauty of being our heavenly Father’s beloved. He has equipped you with every good gift to give your best for God. Slow down and see that He is good. Your Father has uniquely given you unique gifts of grace.
Consider this process to remove the webs of self-deceit regularly. Transfer your silent thoughts into words you say out loud. Words spoken out loud have a sobering effect. For example, I may be thinking of a home or work project, but when I say it out loud, it helps me consider all the ramifications of that decision: time, money, energy, and most importantly, the impact on others. If I am not prayerful, I tend to underestimate the cost. It reminds me of what Jesus says, my paraphrase: If you’re planning to build a house, first sit down and figure out the cost, so you know if you can complete it (Luke 14:28-30). Once you say out loud what you are thinking, discern whether you just like the idea or are you really up to the reality of what’s really involved. Then, seek out trusted advisors for their feedback and listen objectively, avoiding the self-deception of just seeking an insincere answer to what they think you want to hear. Humility, teachability, and listening to learn keep self-deception at bay. But most of all, seek the mind of Christ to clear out the cobwebs of flimsy, sticky lies and replace them with freeing truth.
Prayer
Lord, help me see myself clearly through Your eyes. Guard me from the trap of self-deception, where pride and falsehood can take root. Grant me the humility to acknowledge my weaknesses and the courage to seek Your truth. Let Your Word guide me so that I may walk in integrity and righteousness. Amen.
Application
What potential self-deceptions do I need to say out loud, process in prayer and with other trusted advisers?
Related Reading
Jeremiah 17:9; 1 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 6:3; James 1:22
Worship Resource
Anne Wilson, Chris Tomlin: The Cross
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