A Hidden Splinter

I hate splinters. I hate the way a cool evening barefoot walk on my back porch ends with Brooke helping pick wood out of my skin. I hate it when a splinter gets in my skin and time passes before it can be pulled out. Have you ever noticed that the longer you keep a splinter in, the more it hurts? The longer you wait to remove the splinter, the more dangerous it becomes as it buries itself more into your skin. Splinters must be recognized and removed. If they are ignored, they can cause serious infections and even allergic reactions. Ok, enough of my attempt to teach anything about our bodies...

Pride is like a hidden splinter that grows into thorny branches all over our body. Imagine the pain of a splinter and multiply that to equal branches made of them...all over your skin. That thought should hurt! Pride begins with our attempt to find self-glorification over the worship of our Lord. This can be found in anything from our attempts to being the center of attention, to denial of biblical repentance over known sin, to believing our views and opinions are the only ones that matter, to refusing to accept help with our own depravity. There are more ways to look at pride, but these are some to serve my point in this post. Pride is a hidden splinter that buries into our souls and causes pain like no other. Unlike splinters that we get by wood, glass, plastic, or medal; the splinters of pride impact others. It's almost like once we receive the entrance of our splinter; someone near us receives it as well. Pride rubs off on others in a way that causes disunity, distrust, and division. Churches that crumble often begin the inward explosion by the refusal to see the problem...either from her leaders or members. Both fall into the trap of a hidden splinter; pride.

I like how CJ Mahaney writes on this subject. In his great book Humility: True Greatness, he writes, "Pride takes innumerable forms but has only one end; self-glorification. That's the motive and ultimate purpose of pride - to rob God of legitimate glory and to pursue self-glorification, contending for supremacy with Him." (Mahaney, 32). That's the hidden splinter! We can respond to the sin and pain of pride by ignoring its reality...but the longer we tally, the worst affect it brings. What are you doing today to actively remove the hidden splinter of pride in your life? Trust me, it's there. I have it and have to daily repent of it in order to celebrate in the grace of my Great Physician's touch of removal. I hate it. I hate the way it hurts me and others. I want to fully acknowledge its presence in my life and find the daily need for its removal. I hope more will join me.

Some helpful Scriptures I have found on this splinter.



"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom" - Proverbs 11:2

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. ... Pride
goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall" - Proverbs 16:18

"One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor" - Proverbs 29:23

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up" - James 4:6-10

How can you get rid of this splinter? First, acknowledge it's there! Second, seek its removal. Third, be careful to not walk in such a way that it will return. Refusing to acknowledge your sin is the work of pride. Refusing to remove your sin by true repentance is the work of pride. Refusing to walk in the light of the One who offers removal is the work of pride. I strongly recommend you to examine your life and own up to whatever you find to be self-glorifying.

One final note of encouragement; be careful with your view of humility. We tend to think of humility is only defined in our broken seasons and trials. I believe Biblical humility is acknowledging the position of our Lord and gratefully living in our position as worshippers. William Law writes, "You can have no greater sign of confirmed pride than when you think you are humble enough." Be careful. Even boasting in walking with no fear of splinters can surprise you. Just a few days ago, I received a splinter by pulling weeds. My definition of splinters grew that day.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Dave