If something is glorious is has value. To glory in something or someone is to ascribe value to that object or person. That value it literally a weightiness. In our inner most being we all want to be glorified we all want value. That value, that glory cannot be obtained in isolation. We recieve that value from others from appreciation, from acknowledgement from praise. The untimate value is recieved from the appreciation, the acknowledgement, the praise of a person of ultimate value.
If our inner most desire is for value that comes through relationship, community, partnership the unltimate barrier to this is PRIDE! The definiton of pride is an unceasing, never sleeping focus on self, that is individualism. The complete oposite to relationship. Ironically our number one sin of pride prevents our number one deepest desire of value. What a prediciment we find ourselves in!
There are two types of pride and they both have to do with comparrison. The first is a constent comparrison between self and others towards a superiority. Considering oneself better than others. Where every relationship has the sole purpose of proving your value over that of others. The second is a constant comparrison between self and others towards an inferiority. Considering everyone else better than you (a false humility that tends to be prevelant amongst Christians) Where every relationship is a constant longing for the value of others. Both of these are pride as their underlying focus is self.
The solution is a true humility that draws its source of value from the one of ultimate value, the person we were designed to draw our value from. The definition of humility is other focused. The first step toward humility is to acknowledge and identify our own pride. But there is a price for pride because ultimatly it is the reason we are seperated from God. Before the fall we were in the relationship with God that we were designed for our value came from him and we were content we were satisfied. And then with pride, quite literally came the fall. This sin of pride has plagued humanity ever since. In this passage King David had set his value his self worth in the strength of his army and wished them numbered that he might glory in his value. God had other plans and would show David the price of his pride. What David was to learn that as representative of the nation of Israel the price of his sin would affect the nation and 70,000 died. We too must fully understand the price of our pride in our life and the life of those around us. The answer is humility but it to has a cost. To change our nature from self centered to other centered comes at the cost of removing our sin, our pride. In the passage David was called to build an alter to atone for the sin. The Lord acknowledged the sacrifice with fire, with his judgement. But this was only a shadow of the true cost that would be born to finally atone for sin. The place where David built the alter was the threshing floor where the temple would be built by Solomon. And the temple was a foreshadow of Jesus Christ who would once and for all atone for the sin of the world. Breaking down the barrier and allowing us to deal with sin, to deal with pride. So the first step to humility is to realise our pride and its cost. To realise that the only way out is if the price is paid but that we cannot pay, it it has to be paid on our behalf. And finally not only was it paid on our behalf but it was willingly paid. Only in a true understanding and acceptance of this lies humility. Only when we realise that true value comes from the Father. That a life filled with pride is a life destined for destruction. But that God loved us so much that he willingly paid the price of our pride that we could put on the value of Christ. And all this through grace for us who are not only undeserving but ill deserving. Here lies true humility...
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