“Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among great men” (25:6). God will raise you up when you are ready. If you seek influence and authority before you are ready (and only God knows when) then you will face temptations that you are not equipped to resist. There are many temptations that come with influence and authority: temptations to control; to draw self-validation from status; to draw security from success and so forth. I remember, to my shame, how entitled I felt as a young man to be recognised and admired. I cringe now to think of it, but facing this is sobering for me. Moreover, I see the wisdom and love of God at work then, holding back levels of success that may have destroyed me. Yes, success will destroy you if you lack the character to steward it well. It will inflate your pride like the swelling of an infected wound. When inflated pride is struck it causes agony to the proud heart. This in turn makes us angry and bitter, and so the wound gets still more infected. Famous people are often tortured souls for this reason. If it is God’s will to give you “a place among great men” then he will also prepare your character for it. To exalt yourself before you are ready is like climbing a high cliff without the skills of a mountain climber. If, however, God has prepared you to step up to a higher position, and if he calls you to do so, then do not hesitate. He will give you what you need to hold on.
Reflect on your level of influence and how you are stewarding that.
Read Proverbs 25:6-10
