It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. (Psalm 75:7)
Expanded Passage: Psalm 75
It was almost time for the annual local church conference when members would have the opportunity to vote for church officers, members of the local church board, and delegates to the district conference.
The custodian, a long-time faithful member, had access to the church office in the course of his cleaning, and he saw the list of nominees lying on the secretary’s desk. He noticed his own name on the list, and even before the nominees had been made public, he began boasting about his likelihood of being elected to the board. When the day of the local conference came, members faithfully marked their ballots. After the votes were counted, the outcome showed he had not been elected by a substantial margin.
It brings to mind the psalmist’s declaration that the Lord “brings one down” and “exalts another.” Another pertinent verse reminds us that “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18).
We could not fault the boasting member for being pleased he had been nominated or even looking forward to serving in that capacity. But his boasting was not in the spirit of a humble servant.
If you have the opportunity to serve, it’s better to do it humbly, remembering that behind the voting process, the hand of the Lord is bringing one down and exalting another.
Serve the Lord and others with gladness, not with self-serving pride.
Ron McClung is a retired minister in The Wesleyan Church. He lives in Michigan and has two sons, nine grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
