Day 223, Year 1

No Arrogance in Victory, No Resentment in Defeat

“Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low.” (Luke 3:5a NKJV)

Crookedness and uprightness were mentioned in previous days, while inferiority and pride are today’s focus. Nowadays, many people feel inferior or have low self-esteem, mainly because they compare themselves with others, or because of their failures, poverty, or shortcomings, which makes it difficult for them to hold their heads up high. In fact, those who truly accept the Lord Jesus will feel affirmed and fulfilled because of His crucifixion and individualized redemption. Thus, we who receive His salvation do not need to feel inferior or have wrong comparisons.

The best way to overcome the mindset of comparing ourselves to others or inferiority complexes is to stop seeing our lives as a competition, but make progress in Jesus and, if possible, help others as well. In fact, everyone is unique. It is difficult for those who view relationships as competition to pursue happiness. So, the mentality of wrong comparison is one of the reasons for unhappiness or inferiority, regardless of the success achieved.

Similarly, some people tend to be proud because they are superior to others in certain areas, such as being richer or more intelligent than others etc. But when Jesus appears in front of them, all this pride will be shown to be silly. What He wants us to consider is to what degree we are obedient to His words and participate in the work He invites us. If we have done what He commanded, simply say, “Thank you, Jesus, for letting me do something for you.” If we are unable to obey His words, we need to ask for His help to improve ourselves. Furthermore, believers can look out for any “byproducts” of our inferiority or pride. Sometimes, people with low self-esteem tend to deliberately exaggerate their achievements so as to offset the feeling of inferiority. In this way, outsiders will hardly notice their defects. Likewise, some proud people brag about themselves only when showcasing their achievements in a bid to conceal their inferiority. Hence, when we are unfamiliar with someone, we should refrain from giving hasty compliments. 

Jesus has designated an individualized scale and standard for each of us to view our lives. Understanding this helps us avoid swaying between inferiority and pride. So, how can we completely “fill” our inner “valley” or “bring low” our “mountain and hill”? This begins with acknowledging our problems, and it will be discussed tomorrow.

Reflection questions:

1) Do you struggle with feelings of inferiority or pride? If so, how would you rely on the Lord to resolve it?

2) Are you willing to accept the evaluation of the Lord Jesus and use His instructions and standards to compare your successes and failures, and always seek improvements in life?