NOW I, EVEN ME!

Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.  Daniel 4:37

I love this story, I love the ending, and I love that old Nebby even gets a couple of his thoughts into Scripture! The best part is that Nebuchadnezzar is not someone you would expect to hear speak like this. This is a man who built an empire, stood over Babylon, and was the big man on campus! And yet, by the time you reach the end of the chapter, his language has completely changed. I think the most convincing argument for his total humility is how this pagan king openly realizes just how big of a feat it was for God to break his pride. That’s the thing that convinced Mr. Neb himself that God must truly be who He said He was. And that’s where I start to see how much more I need to grow in my own humility. I probably shouldn’t admit this in print, but sometimes, I think of certain people and dare to imagine that it would be a bigger miracle for God to “fix them” than it would be for Him to save me! I once knew a man who joked that the only thing church people should argue about is which one is the biggest sinner, and they should all demand to be in first place! Instead, we often want “first place” in things that don’t matter, and I know this from my own personal experience. I find correction here. But I also find a great comfort; He does humble the proud—but He also restores those who learn to look up.

Joe Ensley