LIFE LESSONS FROM JERRY BRIDGES

Author, speaker and Navigator Jerry Bridges passed into Heaven earlier this week. Jerry had been with The Navigators since the mid 1950s.

Click here for a summary of Jerry's life lessons prepared by one of our colleagues that was presented at a discipleship meeting in the Philadelphia prison this week.

SUCCESS, PRIDE, AND DELUSION

Recently while getting some time alone with God at a local park, the sound of the wind blowing through the trees caught my attention.  I thought of a passage in the book of Amos, "He who forms the mountains and creates the wind...the LORD God of hosts is His name." - Amos 4:13.  Amos lived during the time of Uzziah, the king of Judah who because of his accomplishments became proud and was stricken with leprosy as a result.

A stretch of the West Brandywine Creek which flows through Hibernia Park, where
I like to go for time alone with God.  By the way, this is also a good fishing stream.

Uzziah's father also had a pride problem. His father Amaziah had been victorious in battle and was ready to take his success to the next level. After defeating the Edomite army, in his delusion of strength Amaziah challenged the army of the northern kingdom.

Jeroboam's reply,  "You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has become proud. Enjoy your glory and stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you, even you, would fall, and Judah with you?” (II Kings 14;10) 

[Why is it that others can see our pride when we can't?]

"Stay at home," Jeroboam said. What an insult! Was this meant to be a taunt? The army of Judah was defeated, Amaziah was captured, and the city of Jerusalem was looted.  Amaziah's pride was not just his own downfall; it brought down the whole nation.

We've all heard this before and know it's true: any success is a result of God's choice, not due to our own efforts and talent. Obviously we need to do our best, to be responsible and diligent, but the end result is determined by what God chooses to do with what we do.

[How often do I operate without consciously looking for the leading and provision of God, and rely on my own efforts?]

I sometimes pray that I won't have to learn things the hard way.  Please pray with us that we would focus not on our talent and effort, or the results, but on being faithful, daily, in the little things, and that God would get the credit.

 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."   –  Luke 16:10.


- all passages are from the New American Standard Bible.