Section 1
Pride is subtle—it’s not only arrogance; it’s the quiet belief that we can stand on our own wisdom apart from God. The moment we say, “I’m not prideful,” we’ve already fallen into it. God desires to pour grace into our lives, but He withholds favor when we refuse humility. Everything we are, everything we have, and every breath we take come directly from His hand. Scripture reminds us to say, “If the Lord wills, we will do this or that,” because all things depend on Him. Even James, the brother of Jesus, refused to identify himself by that title, choosing instead to call himself a servant of God. That posture of humility—recognizing dependence on the Creator—is the foundation of walking rightly before Him.

Section 2
To drive the lesson home, the story of Balaam illustrates how pride blinds the heart. Balaam, motivated by greed and self-importance, set out to curse Israel, ignoring God’s will. God then opened the eyes of Balaam’s donkey to see the angel blocking their path, but Balaam, the prophet, remained spiritually blind. In fury, he beat the animal three times until the Lord miraculously opened the donkey’s mouth to speak. Even then, Balaam argued instead of realizing the absurdity of his situation. The donkey could see and speak truth better than the prophet—a clear sign of divine rebuke. God shattered the natural order to show Balaam how pride had turned his spiritual vision into darkness.

Section 3
Scripture makes the moral unmistakable: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.” There is no room for boasting before Him, because every gift we possess is received, not earned. When we begin to think we are more special, more spiritual, or more loved than others, we deceive ourselves. Jesus said, after doing all that’s commanded, we should still say, “We are unworthy servants.” God detests pride but delights to lift the humble. If we don’t humble ourselves, He will do it for us—and He’s very good at it. So the wise choice is clear: daily put on humility like clothing, remembering that the King of Kings alone deserves glory, and every breath of praise belongs to Him.