Are You Big Enough to Be Small?

We live in a world where everyone wants to be the big man in town. Yet could it be that the biggest among us are the smallest?

“Sometimes a man has to be big enough to see how small he is.”

This line leaped out at me from the newer version of the movie 3:10 to Yuma. In the film, it is used as a polite way to say, “Man up and realize that you’re not as important as you may think!”

But for Christians, this phrase should mean so much more!

Big man in town

It is a common tendency of human nature to want to be a big shot. The apostle Paul listed “selfish ambitions” as one of the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-20).

In the context of two of His disciples wanting to have the high positions in His Kingdom, Christ had to address this issue. He told the disciples, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you” (Matthew 20:20-26). Christ went on to teach that the pathway to leadership is humble service.

The vital aspect of humility

God is currently creating a family that will rule with Him forever (Romans 8:16-17).

Before God gives us such power and responsibility, however, we must develop a close relationship with Him. In Psalm 34:18 we are told that “the LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”

In fact, God goes even farther than that. God reveals that He “resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

Pride: a dangerous sin

God has an excellent reason for resisting the proud. Pride is one of the seven abominations that God hates (see our blog “Seven Things God Hates”). All sin is dangerous (Romans 3:23; 6:23), but pride is a sin that has dethroned multiple kings (2 Chronicles 26; Daniel 4; Ezekiel 28:2) and led to a host of other problems.

Pride also has the unique designation of being the first recorded sin. The book of Isaiah tells us about an ancient being named Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-17). Lucifer’s fall is described as being rooted in pride: “For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High’” (verses 13-14).

Pride transformed a beautiful angel of God into Satan the devil. This sin has continued to instigate more sin throughout the ages.

Two huge examples

Two of the largest figures in history are Moses and Jesus Christ.

According to the Bible, Moses was the most humble man alive (Numbers 12:3). When the children of Israel sinned to such an extent that God desired to wipe them off the face of the earth, Moses offered up his own life in place of the stubborn people—even to the extent of offering to give up his eternal life (Exodus 32:32)! Moses’ concern was not for himself, but for God’s glory and the good of Israel (verses 11-14).

Jesus Christ gave up the power of being God for over 30 years so that He could live as a human being. Christ willingly and humbly gave up His power and died a horrible death so that we could live (Philippians 2:5-8). Not only did Christ die, but He went through the disgraceful death of dying like a common criminal. Now Christ is at the right hand of God and preparing His Kingdom for His followers (John 14:2-3; Philippians 2:12).

Small today, great tomorrow

Jesus Christ and Moses provide us examples of how we should live and think of ourselves.

Pride is a stubborn human characteristic that we will struggle against our entire lives. We should all be big enough to recognize how small we are in comparison to God and allow that realization to humble us.

It is those who are small today who will be great tomorrow! Remember the line from 3:10 to Yuma: “Sometimes a man has to be big enough to see how small he is.”

To learn about subtle ways pride may be in your life, read our blog “3 Ways Pride May Be Infecting Your Life.”

Joshua Travers is a member of the Athens, Ohio, congregation of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association.