Nichole Fogleman
A Taste of Humble Pie – Readings: Proverbs 29, 30, 31
Do you collect anything? If I could be accused of hording anything, it may be books. My husband would say clothes, but you can never have enough clothes or shoes right? King Hezekiah had an interest in collecting religious literature. I imagine him saying, “If we are going to have music and instruments played in the temple again, let’s use some old fashioned psalms that they use to sing during David and Solomon’s time. ” Among our readings today are proverbs that were collected by King Hezekiah, our Godly king of the south. One such proverbs was Proverbs 30, the “Sayings of Agur”.
No one really knows who Agur was. There are many theories out there. Instead of dwelling on who, what, and where, let’s examine Agur’s humility a little closer.
“1 I am weary, God,
but I can prevail.[a]
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
I do not have human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.”
Charles Spurgeon wrote , “One mark of a man’s true wisdom is his knowledge of his ignorance.” (1) And I believe this to be true. Agur was so open to his humility, it was almost offered as a virture, which may have been why King Solomon had chosen to collect this proverb. Being the wisest man alive, he may have wished sometimes to be the opposite, just like our movie stars today wish for privacy. Could he not have coveted these words of Agur?
“8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you”
How different our world views humilty and self righeousness today. Are there times in your life that you struggled with pride? Currently I am reading Charles Spurgeon’s autobiography. Spurgeon was a prominent british minister of the 1800″s. He wrote often about our old testment characters. He talks often of pride. He stated that “Self- righteousness is as much an insult to God as blasphemy is” and “that self righeousness is as rapid a road to ruin as outward sin itself” (2) This comment got me to thinking. How often does my own pride get in the way? I have learned so many lessons regarding pride, especially this past year. I choose from here on out, humility. Give me only my daily bread. Dear Lord lead me from self-righteousness. The more you teach me, the less I know. And that’s okay because the only road I choose, the only trail, is the one that lead’s to you.
https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/a-homily-for-humble-folks/#flipbook/
Spurgeon, C. H., et al. The Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon. American Baptist Publication Society. (p. 89)
