2024-09-20 “search their own glory is not glory”

Proverbs 25:27  “It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.

One of the most repulsive things Children of God can do, is to “search their own glory”; that is, to constantly promote and exalt themselves to elicit attention and admiration and glory and praise from others.  Our Lord strongly admonished those who “love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. [He warned them] Verily I say unto you, They have their reward” (Matthew 6:5) and those who do “all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments” to give themselves a grand appearance before men (Matthew 23:5).  Those who take their eyes off Christ and fix them on themselves, are seeking to promote themselves with vain glory and honor for themselves.  When they are searching “their own glory”, they “cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (II Peter 1:9).  A dreadful and painful fall awaits those who “search their own glory”.  On the other hand, our Lord tells us that He will dwell with those who are “of a contrite and humble spirit” and He will “revive the spirit of the humble” and “revive the heart of the contrite ones” (Isaiah 57:15).  Those who know that they are, by nature, wretched and unworthy sinners are gloriously exalted by our Loving and Gracious and Merciful Lord.  When its appropriate He will say to us, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” (Matthew 25:21).  Our Lord taught His Apostles the acceptable self-view for Christians: “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10); that is, squelch your carnal lust for your own glory and admiration and praise, and “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 4:10) and “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (I Peter 5:6).