Pastor Ben’s Ponderings

“A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.”
(Proverbs 29:23)

When I was a kid, I remember learning to ride my bike without training wheels. I remember the fear of sudden pain and the worry of having huge scabs on my knees and elbows. But my dad kept telling me, “I’m right with you. I won’t let you fall.” I trusted him and he kept me from falling many times until I got the hang of riding on two wheels. One day, I remember being able to do it on my own! It felt so good to be able to ride without help from my dad.

But then, it happened! What I feared most. The big crash! Guess what caused the big crash. A rock? Another bike? No, my pride caused the big crash. I got cocky and arrogant. I was riding with no hands trying to show off for the girls who lived on our street. It was a painful lesson to learn.

The thing is, I’ve had to learn this lesson more than once. I’ve learned that when I pedal on ahead of God in my life and take my eyes off the path that He has for me — that’s when I get into trouble. When I start trying to show the onlookers what I can do on my own — that is when I always crash. As a loving Father, God is always there to pick me up, but what He wants for me is the maturity to do what His Word has taught me with humility and purpose and focus, always confident, not in my performance, but in His presence.