Pride Verses Humility

I was reading the conversation that Simon Peter had with Jesus in Luke Ch 5.3-7

Jesus had borrowed Simon’s boat so he could speak to the crowds that had gathered around him.

Maybe Jesus needed a bit of space from everyone as they pushed closer to him!

After Jesus had talked with the gathered crowd, he turned his attention to the owner

of the boat. He told Simon, “Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch”

Simon was the fisherman; Jesus was a carpenter!

And yet, surprisingly, Simon responded, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets”

When he had done this, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So, they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them and they filled both boats so full they began to sink.

I thought, Simon showed great humility with his response. He could have easily reacted grumpily with, “What do you know?” “I’ve been brought up in these waters, and I’m done for the day”

Instead, he swallowed his pride and took Jesus' advice.

What followed was an incredible miracle. Such an abundant catch of fish that they never would have caught if he hadn’t listened to Jesus.

Pride can stop us from receiving or experiencing so much.

Pride says, “I know best; what do you know?”

Humility says, “We can learn something from everybody”

Pride says, “I can do this on my own; I don’t need your help”

Humility says, “It would be better if I had help”

Pride is like a brick wall with no door.

Humility creates a door and opens it, and lets people in.

Pride pushes people away.

Humility encourages connection.

Pride says, “ I have to get it right all the time”

Humility says, “It's okay to try and get it wrong”

Pride says I need to help, I should help,

Humility makes space for others to help; humility encourages teamwork.

I want to be like Simon, who became Peter and became one of Jesus' disciples.

He listened and obeyed.

Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."

 But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word, I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats so that they began to sink Luke 5:3-7