The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:17
Good morning on this new week of Freedom Fighter blogs. We are grateful for how you are engaging with us each day and value your comments along the way.
Last week I shared Part 1 of this two-part series, Proud People – Broken People, from Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth of Revive Our Hearts ministry. Our political landscape is crazy, and there is so much turmoil in our country. Both sides illustrate the truth that Nancy has been describing, and unfortunately, this is evident all too often in the church.
Here is the second part of the list:
| Proud People | Broken People |
| Unapproachable or defensive when criticized | Receive criticism with a humble, open spirit |
| Concern with being respectable, with what others think; work to protect their own image and reputation | Concerned with being real; what matters to them is not what others think but what God knows; are willing to die to their own reputation |
| Find it difficult to share their spiritual need with others | Willing to be open and transparent with others as God directs |
| Want to be sure that no one finds out when they have sinned; their instinct is to cover up | Once broken, don’t care who knows or who finds out, are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to lose |
| Have a hard time saying, “I was wrong; will you please forgive me?” | Quick to admit failure and to seek forgiveness when necessary |
| Tend to deal in generalities when confessing sin | Able to acknowledge specifics when confessing their sin |
| Concerned about the consequences of their sin | Grieved over the cause, the root of their sin |
| Remorseful over their sin, sorry that they got found out or caught | Truly, genuinely repentant over their sin; evidenced as they forsake that sin |
| Wait for the others to come and ask forgiveness when there is a misunderstanding or conflict in a relationship | Take the initiative to be reconciled when there is misunderstanding or conflict in relationships; they race to the cross; they see if they can get there first, no matter how wrong the other may have been |
| Compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor | Compare themselves to the holiness of God and feel a desperate need for His mercy |
| Blind to their true heart condition | Walk in the light |
| Don’t think they have anything to repent of | Realize they have a need of a continual heart attitude of repentance |
| Don’t think they need revival but are sure that everyone else does | Continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God and for a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit |
There are two responses to what you just read. The first response is if you read the list and say, “Yep, I sure wish so and so would read this. There are certainly in the proud category.” It could be that you are looking at the speck in someone else’s’ eye, and you have a log in yours.
The other response is, “I want to be characterized by being a broken person (in the right sense of the word). Lord, keep me humble – keep me broken and contrite.”
Can I challenge you today to prayerfully read through a proud person’s characteristics and be bold enough to ask the Holy Spirit if you need heart surgery? Humble yourself before the Savior, and let Him do a work in your heart. Is it painful? It sure is – but it is sure worth it.
Living in light of the gospel,
Bill Welte, President/CEO
America’s Keswick
You can write to Bill at bwelte@americaskeswick.org
Written by Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his childhood sweetheart for 40+ years and has four married kids and 12 amazing grandkids. He loves music and is an avid reader.
