Ed. # 8 - Seeing ourselves as "ithers" see us
This entry was posted on 6/26/2007 3:48 PM and is filed under Pride.
"O wad some Power the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,"
These famous and often quoted lines are from a poem called, "The Louse" by the Scottish poet, Robert Burns, written around 1789. Since it was written in what is called the Ulster Scots dialect, which is a combination of Middle English and Gaelic, it may need a little translation. So, here goes: Oh what ability the "giftie", (the Lord), "gie" (gives) us so that we can see ourselves as "ithers" (others) see us. It "wad" (would) "frae" (from) many a blunder free us. I think that Burns was implying that it would be a gift of God if we had the ability to see ourselves as others do so we would not make public blunders because of pride. Now I don't know what Burn's spiritual condition was at the time of this writing, but it does indicate that he may have had a little revelation of God's thinking about pride.
We very often do things out of pride in order to cover up some real or presumed deficiency in our character. Most observant people, however, can see through our cover up and then we look even worse to them. "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall". (Proverbs 16:18)
There is another observation here that I would like to make and it is this. Burns was saying it is a gift of God to see ourselves as others do, however, I believe it would be far better and more in tune with God if we could see ourselves not as "ithers" see us but as God sees us.
How do we know how God sees us? The answer, of course, is in His word and His promises to us. Try these on for size: "For he hath made him (Jesus) to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him" II Cor. 5:21. We then, if born again, are made the righteouness of God. "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8:37) So, then we are not only the righteousness of God we are also more than conquerors. So what is "more than a conqueror"? I heard Kenneth Copeland explain it this way. Suppose that a big tough warrior goes out and wins a battle against his enemy and comes home with the spoils of war which is a trunk full of gold and jewels and gives it all to his wife. Well he is a conqueror but she is more than a conqueror.
God has promised us in His Word that if we would humble ourselves in His sight that He would lift us up (or honor us) James 4:10. Another scripture: A man's pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit. (Proverbs 29:23)
So, in conclusion, if we will humble ourselves before God He will honor us and make us more than conquerors. Is that a deal or what?
'Till next time,
Glory to God,
Hal Mitchell
halmitch@cox.net
