James 4:6 (NASB)
But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Bible Commentary
James 4:6 is a Bible verse from the New Testament that reassures us of God’s grace going before us, in spite of disturbing revelations of pride in our hearts. This verse is a popular Biblical principle known even in secular communities. It can be easy to spot a hungry, ladder-climbing business person when they display signs of pride and arrogance among their peers.
Maybe they have allowed their lust for a high position to cloud their judgment in how they treat others, and how they conduct themselves in business. In this example, it can be obvious to others where pride exists. However, each one of us houses certain amounts of pride, and most likely we don’t see it or even realize it’s there.
Let’s look at the Greek meaning of “proud” from James 4:6, which is: appearing above others, haughty. Haughty is defined as: having or showing great pride in oneself and contempt for others; arrogant.
A Healthy Self-Esteem
We all need a healthy self-esteem, which comes only from a close and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Only He contains the perfect combination of confidence and humility. God gave us His Son to be our Savior, yes, but also to model the perfect example for us.
The definition above gives us key clues to recognizing pride within ourselves. Wrongful pride comes with an attitude of superiority and arrogance toward others.
We all have two sides of a scale. On one side is pride, which is an arrogant attitude toward others, and on the other side is insecurity, which is a fear of inferiority to others. Our target should be right in the middle—a healthy balance between the two. This is where Jesus calls us.
Many times, our insecurity is what fuels the pride. We’ve experienced something in our past where we felt the sting of humiliation or defeat. Because of that pain, we built a wall or defense mechanism, which we think will keep us from getting hurt again–a very natural response. We all do it.
However, it’s important to recognize that the solution to being protected from pain is not within ourselves. Our walls of defense only spur wrong reactions and birth wrong motives, which cause trouble in our relationships.
The answer? Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).
Unlocking the Truth – Healing Ointment of Grace
In order to clear out the wrong motives from our hearts, we must go back to the source of where the pain came from, and then heal it. The only One Who can do that is our Healer—Jesus Christ.
To be healed, many times He must crack the shell of our pride in order to bring our attention to it, so we’ll recognize it. This can be a heart-rending experience, which can feel very much like the initial pain that caused the wall of pride to come up in the first place.
Don’t lose heart! Remember the first part of James 4:6, “But he gives a greater grace…”
It is critically important to be healed of these prideful attitudes in our heart. We need God on our side, and He wants us on His side.
If the pride and arrogance remain in us, we are akin to the devil and not Jesus Christ. We must be careful to recognize the seductive nature of the devil’s traps. What appears beautiful and glorious is actually empty and vain.
Temptation is a Trap
It could hold pleasure for a moment, and then BAM! The pain of guilt and sorrow set in, and this torture persists. The devil lures us with something that seemed beautiful or glorious, but its end is the way of death (Proverbs 16:25).
Not so with God’s grace. It holds a rich and satisfying conclusion, where we are complete and free.
When God cracks the pride within us, it allows the healing ointment of His Spirit inside to soothe the places of pain from our past and our present.
“Grace” in James 4:6 means: the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude; favor, gift joy, pleasure.
There is great joy in the deep places of our soul as God’s divine influence and nature come in and soak the tender places left from the wounds of our past.
Study the Bible verse of James 4:6, and open your spirit to His amazing grace and healing touch.
