Granny, Jed, Jethro, Elly Mae, Cousin Pearl (the piano player) and Cousin Jethrene – bet you can guess what we’ve been watching! The Beverly Hillbillies were on TV from 1962-1971. I literally grew up watching this show. It was a funny show, often silly, and yet there are times when we can all see ourselves in these characters. On the episode we watched today, Jed shared some insight on Cousin Pearl. He said, “Some folks are just too poor to paint and yet too proud to whitewash.” I laughed when he said it, but then I got to thinking about it. That could probably be said about all of us at one time or another.
Pride is one of those things that can be good or it can be bad. It’s good to have pride in “one’s appearance” and dress in clean, modest, and appropriate clothing. But, as Paul told the church at Corinth, “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” (II Corinthians 4:16) We must be careful to not let pride of how we look cause us to fall. This reminds me of right after Steve and I got married – I was twenty years old and I had a beautiful pair of black high heeled shoes that I bought to wear with that “perfect dress,” and I thought that I looked good, The problem was – I couldn’t walk in them! They killed my feet! This was when Steve reminded me of Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Well, as I stumbled along in those gorgeous shoes, I realized that this time the fall was for real!
Right now, I am so proud of those who are graduating and moving onto schools of higher learning. We should strive to learn all we can, but I’ve known several people who were ‘”educated beyond their intelligence.” You know what I mean? They learned so much that they decided that they knew what God meant instead of taking God’s Word for what it is – God’s Word. “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.” (Galatians 6:3) We should “be not wise in our own conceits.” (Romans 12:16b)
We should also remember that all “things” belong to God. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” (I Timothy 6:7) If we are blessed with material goods in this life, we should reach out and help others in need. We should not take pride in our riches. “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:” (Jeremiah 9:23) To God be the Glory!
May we guard our hearts, stay humble, and kind, for we are “simply blessed,” Courtney
WOW!! Love you.