I once met a man who had an experience similar to Paul’s vision, having been taken to Heaven, and he wrote a bestselling book about it. He was what would be considered by many to be a mover and a shaker in his particular circle of Christendom. I had not been in his presence for more than a very few minutes when I realized that he was, without a doubt, the embodiment of more spiritual pride than any minister I had ever met in my career of thirty years of ministry. And, by the way, during those thirty years, I have been in the presence of several ministers that would easily be considered by most, and rightfully so, to be some of the most powerful and influential servants of God in the 20th and 21st centuries, and yet I had not perceived this degree of arrogant pride in them.

As I pondered this fellow in my heart, the Lord told me that if I wanted to see someone more proud than him, I should look in the mirror! I then remembered that a sister in the Lord, whom I had taught in a Bible college, had told me years ago that she felt like I thought my theological view was more sound than hers. This made her feel like I thought myself better that her. This, of course, was not my intention but it was her perception, and perception to the one perceiving is their reality! After those wake up calls, I started thinking about the words of Jesus, “Judge not lest you be judged; condemn not lest you be condemned,” and the words of Paul, “You who judge another are guilty of the same thing.” James goes on to say that we are called to be “doers of the law, not judges of it.” And again Paul asks, “Who are you that judges another man's servant? Before God, he stands or falls, and God is able to make him stand.”

I began to realize that I was not only spiritually proud, but that I had judged and condemned this other fellow for what I had perceived to be his spiritual pride. If the truth be known, he had inadvertently insulted and humiliated me publicly, and I had been offended. If I had been where I should have been in Christ, a humble servant of all, I would not have been offended in the first place because “there is no offence in Christ Jesus.” Of these sins I had to repent. My prayer of late has been, "Lord, make my ego so small a target that it will be impossible for Satan to even see, much less hit."

Next, I started thinking about what might be some buffeters from Satan in my life; some thorns in the flesh, as it were, that have been allowed by God to keep me from being even prouder than I already am. I have had in my life what would probably be considered by others as some rather profound and extraordinary experiences in God. Of course, others also might think them psychotic episodes. Nevertheless, I myself consider them profound. I have in the past been given certain insights and understandings into some of the revelatory realities of God’s word and will. Of course, this is simply a gift from God for the edification of His church and nothing to be proud about. At the same time, in line with this fact and my propensity towards wicked pride, I can also say that my life has been anything but easy, and I have, like Paul, had to depend upon God’s all sufficient grace to see me through on many "thorny" occasions. I thank God for His wisdom in dealing with His children in these matters, and I am continuing to trust that, “all things are working together for good for those who love the Lord, the called according to His purpose."