People who achieve an extraordinary level of fame or reputation while they are still alive are often called “a legend in their own time.” A friend who played professional baseball says he met many people in the world of sports who were only “a legend in their own mind.” Pride has a way of distorting how we see ourselves while humility offers a realistic perspective.

人们常用“当代传奇人物”，形容那些在有生之年功成名就、扬名立万的人。一位打职业棒球的朋友说，他曾见过许多体育界的好手，最后只成为了“自己心中的传奇人物”。骄傲往往会让我们高举自己，而谦卑则让我们更真实地认识自己。

The writer of Proverbs said, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (16:18). Viewing ourselves in the mirror of self-importance reflects a distorted image. Self-elevation positions us for a fall.

箴言的作者说：“骄傲在败坏以先；狂心在跌倒之前”（16章18节）。若用自我标榜的镜子看自己，只会看到一个扭曲的形象。高举自己，只是让自己摔得更重。

The antidote to the poison of arrogance is true humility that comes from God. “Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud” (v. 19).

从上帝而来的谦卑，是对付骄傲自大的最佳良方。“心里谦卑与穷乏人来往，强如将掳物与骄傲人同分”（19节）。

Jesus told His disciples, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26–28).

耶稣告诉门徒：“你们中间谁愿为大，就必作你们的用人；谁愿为首，就必作你们的仆人。正如人子来，不是要受人的服事，乃是要服事人，并且要舍命，作多人的赎价。”（马太福音20章26-28节）

There is nothing wrong with receiving accolades for achievement and success. The challenge is to stay focused on the One who calls us to follow Him saying, “for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (11:29).

当成功或有成就的时候，接受赞美和表扬并没有错。但真正的挑战是，我们能否继续专一跟随那位呼召我们的主，祂如此说：“我心里柔和谦卑，你们心里就必得享安息”（马太福音11章29节）。

Lord Jesus, please help us to have Your humility 

in all the ways that we interact with people today.

May we honor You in all that we do and say and motives of our heart.

INSIGHT

The account of King Nebuchadnezzar is an example of how pride can lead to a fall. The prophet Daniel reminded him that God had given him “dominion and power and might and glory” (Daniel 2:37). Nebuchadnezzar initially acknowledged Yahweh was “the God of gods and Lord of kings” (v. 47), but pride got the better of him when he ordered everyone to worship a ninety-foot-tall gold statue of himself (3:1–6). Ignoring God’s warning, he persisted in his pride and said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built . . . by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (4:30). Just as he was boasting about this, he was suddenly struck down by an illness, believed to be boanthropy, a rare mental disorder where a person believes he is a cow or ox (vv. 31–33). After seven years, God restored Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity. Then he humbly confessed, “Now I . . . praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven. . . . Those who walk in pride he is able to humble” (v. 37). The arrogant king learned that “when pride comes, then comes disgrace” (Proverbs 11:2) and “pride brings a person low” (29:23).

When have you seen pride lead to disgrace?

灵粮透视

尼布甲尼撒王的经历足以说明，骄傲如何导致失败。先知但以理提醒他，是上帝赐给他“国度、权柄、能力、尊荣”（但以理书2章37节）。起初尼布甲尼撒承认耶和华是“万神之神、万王之主”（47节），然而当骄傲占据了他的心时，他竟命令所有人都要拜他为自己所立的27米高的金像（3章1-6节）。他不顾上帝的警告，骄傲自大地说：“这大巴比伦不是我用大能大力建为京都，要显我威严的荣耀吗？”（4章30节）正当他夸耀之际，突然被一种疾病袭击。这个疾病可能是牛人并发症，属于罕见的精神疾病，病人会以为自己是公牛或母牛（31-33节）。七年后，上帝让尼布甲尼撒恢复了理智，过后他谦卑地承认说：“现在我……赞美、尊崇、恭敬天上的王，……那行动骄傲的，祂能降为卑”（37节）。这位骄傲的王深切领悟到，“骄傲来，羞耻也来”（箴言11章2节），以及“人的高傲，必使他卑下”（29章23节）。

你何时看过人因骄傲而蒙羞呢？

整理：于姊妹