Put Pride In Its Place

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Gentlemen, every day is a battle. A battle for your faith, your family, and your purpose. The men who stand strong don't prepare when the battle arrives. They prepare before it begins. Welcome to a man's morning devotion. Let's get into God's word. It's time to man up.

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Good morning gentlemen. I'm Chris Munya, and it's time for another man up moment. This week I'm continuing in Proverbs chapter 13, with today's devotional being about humility. I encourage you to share this devotional with someone who you think would benefit from it. Proverbs 13, verse 10 says this where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Every man will experience conflict. We talked about this and how to respond on yesterday's episode. Conflict with your wife, with your kids, conflict at work, conflict with friends. Sometimes conflict is unavoidable. But Proverbs 13 10 gives us something important to talk about or to think about. Where there is strife, there is pride. That's a hard verse because our first instinct is usually to look at the other person and think they're the problem. They're being unreasonable. They won't listen. They won't understand. They're wrong. But Solomon forces us to look into the mirror. Sometimes conflict isn't just about what the other person did. Sometimes pride is keeping us from resolving it. Pride says things like this I'm not apologizing first. They need to come to me. I don't need anybody's advice. I've been doing this long enough. I know what I'm doing. If you found yourself saying that in the past, then listen up. Because pride can turn a small disagreement into a major division. Think about how many arguments could have ended differently if someone had simply said, Maybe I'm wrong. Those three words can be incredibly difficult for a man to say. But they can also be incredibly powerful. The second half of the verse says, Wisdom is found in those who take advice. Notice that Scripture doesn't say wisdom is found in the man who gives advice. It says wisdom is found in the man who is willing to receive it. That's humility. A strong man isn't someone who thinks he knows everything. A strong man understands that he doesn't. He knows that there are things his wife may see that he doesn't. There are things his pastor may recognize that he hasn't noticed. There are things another man who has walked through a similar situation can teach him. There are things God wants to reveal through correction. And sometimes the person giving you advice isn't even saying it perfectly, but there may still be something you need to hear. You don't have to agree with everything someone says to be humble enough to listen. Men, we need to get comfortable with correction. Because if it can't if you can't be corrected, you can't grow. If you haven't given someone in your life permission to correct you, then start there. If nobody can challenge you, you will eventually become a man surrounded by people who tell you what you want to hear. And that's dangerous. A wise man builds people around him who are willing to say, Brother, I think you're wrong. Or you need to handle that differently. Or you owe your wife an apology. Or maybe that's not the right decision. You need to slow down. Those words may sting, but sometimes the people who love you enough to tell you the truth are the very people God uses to keep you from making a foolish decision. Pride wants to win the argument. Wisdom wants to find the truth. Pride asks, how do I prove I'm right? And wisdom asks, What can I learn from this? That's the difference. So next time you're in an argument, don't immediately defend yourself. Stop, listen, ask questions, and pray. God, show me what I'm missing. Because maybe the greatest thing God wants to change in the situation isn't the other person. Maybe it's you. That's not weakness, that's manning up. So here's your man up challenge. Today, identify one person you trust who is willing to tell you the truth. And ask them this question. Is there anything you see in my life that I need to work on? And here's the hard part. Don't defend yourself, don't explain, don't argue, don't tell them why they're wrong. Just listen. Say, thank you, I'll pray about that. Then actually take some time with God and ask him whether there's truth in what you heard. And if there is something you need to change, then change it. If you've been holding on to a conflict because you're too proud to make the first move, man up and make the call. Send the text, start the conversation, apologize, take responsibility for your part. You don't have to win every conflict. Sometimes the real victory is choosing humility over pride. So man up, listen, learn, and grow. Let's pray. Father, give me the humility to recognize that I don't have all the answers. Show me where pride has created conflict in my relationships. Help me become a man who welcomes wise counsel and doesn't run from correction. Give me the courage to listen when someone speaks the truth into my life, even when it's difficult to hear. Surround me with men who will challenge me, sharpen me, and help me become the man you've called me to be. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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All right, gentlemen, you've heard God's word. Now go live it. Lead well, stand strong, honor God in everything you do. Share this devotional with another brother. Remember, every day is another opportunity to man up.