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Babes and Little Children

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And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?” —Matthew 21:16, NKJV

Kids can say the funniest, sometimes wisest, things.

I remember when my youngest son was about four.

While home on summer vacation, I happened to be applying some pink facial cleanser. I have a dark, chocolate-brown complexion. While watching me, my son asked, “Whatcha doing?” To which I replied, “Getting pretty.” “Oh,” was his response.

And off he went to play outside. Returning at lunchtime, he took one look at my face, and seeing it was still dark, chocolate brown and not pink, he asked, “Didn’t work, huh?” Seventy years later, I am not sure what he meant. But even now, it makes me smile.

In my efforts to make myself look pretty spiritually, I can apply the wrong “masks.” They do not work. And here is one reason: pride. Pride is one of the six things God hates (see Proverbs 6:16, NKJV). I want to look like other spiritual giants, but when I compare myself with others, I discover there will always be someone who makes me look not so good.

Or I can find myself believing I am more spiritual than others.

We are admonished not to be proud, but rather, we should be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited (see Romans 12:16, NIV).

Solomon reminds us that “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18, NIV). Ouch! That hurts. If God has to humble us rather than our taking the initiative to do so, He is deprived of the glory that is rightfully His.

Babes and little children normally do not have a problem in this area of human development. Pride is a learned behavior. From my perspective, there is a healthy sense of pride and an unhealthy one. There is no harm in wanting to have your yard and home kept clean.

Nor is it an offense to want to be well dressed and even to drive a car that does not break down every day. To do these things to be seen and bragged about, however, can become obsessive and offensive. Dear Lord, as parents and grandparents, show us how to walk humbly before You and how to be good examples for your children and grandchildren.

Helen O. Byoune