READING:
One-year plan: Genesis 10-14
Two-year plan: 2 Chronicles 24:1-25:16, Acts 7:37-50
———-
“Let’s make a name for ourselves.”
These were the words of the people seeking to build the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:4). They were words of ego and presumption.
That problem of ego was hardly limited to that story in the ancient world, however; instead, many of us wrestle with it in our present-tense world. We may not blatantly speak those words (as we know it would not be right to do so), but we often do take other steps in that direction. Here are some things that come to mind for those of us who are in ministry:
- Wanting to lead the biggest church
- Securing invitations to speak on the largest stages
- Making more money than others
- Hoping to get our name in print somewhere
- Seeking degrees and the appropriate initials behind our names
- Wanting to own the largest home or the biggest car
I could go on, of course, but I trust the point is clear: even while we don’t speak the words, “Let’s make a name for ourselves,” we do speak them silently through our actions. Pride is so insidious that it sometimes grabs us even as we say (more humbly than others, of course) that we don’t wrestle with it.
At the end of the day, however, it’s the name of Jesus—not ours—that matters.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: Do you ever want your name to be known?
DAILY PRAYER: “God, keep us humble today.”
MONDAY’S READINGS:
One-year plan: Genesis 15-19
Two-year plan: 2 Chronicles 25:17-27:9, Acts 7:51-60
MEMORIZATION VERSE (JAN 1-15):
“A son was born to Seth also, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” (Gen 4:26)
