Pride & Humility - Lesson 2: Listening and Not LIstening

Pride and Humility

Lesson 2: Listening and Not Listening

Proverbs 13:10 Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom.

Proverbs 15:31-32 [31] The ear that listens to reproof lives, and will be at home among the wise. [32] He who refuses correction despises his own soul, but he who listens to reproof gets understanding.

The Main Points for This Lesson:

The main purpose of this series of lessons on pride and humility is to emphasize what God has shown us – that he resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. These lessons should help show what pride and humility are, how they appear in our own lives, and what the end result of each is, encouraging and exhorting us to put off pride and clothe ourselves with humility.

In the first lesson, we gave simple definitions for pride and humility. Pride is thinking more highly of ourselves than is right and true. Humility is thinking rightly of ourselves in the sight of (or in relation to) God the Father Almighty and his son Jesus Christ, our lord.

Pride is dangerous to all men. When considering pride and the proud, we may often think of the rich, powerful and strong. Yet pride is just as dangerous (and perhaps more dangerous) to the godly, righteous and humble, who in pride may defy the very God they once worshiped. King Uzziah is an example of this (2 Chronicles 26:4-5,16). Even the lowliest person, the person most in need of help, may become proud, and in their pride refuse the help they desperately need. Naaman is an example of this (2 Kings 5:1,11-12). Pride leads us to turn away from God, from the only one who can truly and eternally help us.

Pride and humility and listening to others. Throughout everyone's life, they are given commands, counsel, reproof, correction, advice, etc.

It is our pride that makes us unwilling to take advice, to listen to reproof, to receive counsel, and to heed and obey commands. Refusing to listen (because of pride) can take at least two forms. Sometimes we may say with arrogance, I won't listen to you, or, I don't have to listen to you. This is clearly pride. King Uzziah, in pride, went into the temple of God to do what was not his place to do. When he was rebuked by the priests, he did not humble himself to listen and repent. Instead, he held to his pride. Refusing to listen, he even became angry that they would dare to correct him. In this continued act of pride, God made him a leper to the day of his death (2 Chronicles 26:17-19). However, it is also pride when, for example, our parents tell us to do something, and we ignore them, or treat their command as something we can forget. This is also pride. In both cases, we have believed the lie that we are above the commands and correction of others, and perhaps even above God. One form is just more bold, or obvious than the other.

When we choose to listen to others, this is humility (at least in part if not in whole). Listening and taking advice is wise. Humility teaches us this wisdom. Naaman, in pride, was going to return to Syria with his leprosy. He humbled himself to receive the wise counsel of his servants. It was in this humility that Naaman found healing grace from God (2 Kings 5:13-14).

Suggestions:

To open the lesson, pray for the teacher and the students.

Let the children know that we are now having a few lessons on pride and humility. This is important because God has said in his word, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

In this lesson, we will compare the stories of King Uzziah and Naaman to learn more about pride and humility and listening to others.

Let the children know that you will read to them two stories. You want them to listen to the stories and notice when the main character in each story is proud and when they are humble.

Read to them the story of king Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26:1-5,15-21. As you read this story, point out that Uzziah did right in the sight of the Lord for many years. The children should find two instances of pride in this story. The first is when Uzziah's heart is lifted up in pride and he goes into the temple to do what only the priests are allowed to do. The second instance of pride is when Uzziah refused to listen to the priests warning, but instead became angry with them.

Read the second story to the children about Naaman in 2 Kings 5:1,9-15. Point out at the beginning that Naaman had leprosy and needed help. He could not cure himself. The children should find pride when Naaman refuses to dip in the Jordan river. They should find humility in Naaman listening to his servants advising him to dip in the Jordan river as he was told.

Help the children to compare and contrast the stories. Ask them how Uzziah and Naaman are similar. (They both were proud.) Ask the children how they were different. (Uzziah was proud again, but Naaman became humble.) How was Uzziah proud the second time? (He wouldn't listen to the priests.) What happened because he was proud and wouldn't listen? (God made him a leper.) How was Naaman humble? (He listened to his servants when they gave his advice.) What happened because he humbled himself and listened? (He was healed.)

You can ask the children if they can think of a time when they have been proud and refused to listen and obey and it led to a bad end. Can they think of a time when they humbled themselves and listened and obeyed and it led to a good end? Remind them that God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble.

To close the lesson, pray with the children and have all the children read the Lord's prayer together.

Stories:

2 Chronicles 26:1-5,15-21 [1] All the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. [2] He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers. [3] Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign; and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Jechiliah, of Jerusalem. [4] He did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. [5] He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the vision of God: and as long as he sought Yahweh, God made him to prosper.

  [15] He made in Jerusalem engines, invented by skillful men, to be on the towers and on the battlements, with which to shoot arrows and great stones. His name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, until he was strong. [16] But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up, so that he did corruptly, and he trespassed against Yahweh his God; for he went into Yahweh’s temple to burn incense on the altar of incense. [17] Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him eighty priests of Yahweh, who were valiant men: [18] and they resisted Uzziah the king, and said to him, “It isn’t for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to Yahweh, but for the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated to burn incense. Go out of the sanctuary; for you have trespassed; neither shall it be for your honor from Yahweh God.” [19] Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in Yahweh’s house, beside the altar of incense. [20] Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked on him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there; yes, himself hurried also to go out, because Yahweh had struck him. [21] Uzziah the king was a leper to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from Yahweh’s house: and Jotham his son was over the king’s house, judging the people of the land.

2 Kings 5:1,9-15 [1] Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honorable, because by him Yahweh had given victory to Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.

  [9] So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. [10] Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.” [11] But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yahweh his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.’ [12] Aren’t Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them, and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. [13] His servants came near, and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had asked you do some great thing, wouldn’t you have done it? How much rather then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean?’” [14] Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. [15] He returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, “See now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel. Now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.”

More Stories and Examples:

2 Chronicles 30:1-11

Hezekiah wrote letters to the people of Ephraim and Manasseh, calling them to Jerusalem to keep the Passover feast. The content of the letters was a rebuke, an exhortation and an encouragement (vv6-9). Many not only refused to listen, but even ridiculed and mocked the messengers (v10). However, some men did humble themselves to listen and obey the words that they heard.

2 Chronicles 33:1-20

This is the story of Manasseh. In verse 10, we see the pride of Manasseh and his people when they refuse to listen to the words of God. However, when God speaks to Manasseh through distress (vv11-12), Manasseh does humble himself to listen and ultimately repent of his wickedness.

Other Verses:

Proverbs 10:8 The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who is wise listens to counsel.

Proverbs 13:10 Pride only breeds quarrels, but with ones who take advice is wisdom.

Proverbs 15:31-32 [31] The ear that listens to reproof lives, and will be at home among the wise. [32] He who refuses correction despises his own soul, but he who listens to reproof gets understanding.

Isaiah 5:21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

Jeremiah 49:15-17 [15] For, behold, I have made you small among the nations, and despised among men. [16] As for your terror, the pride of your heart has deceived you, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill: though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there, says Yahweh. [17] Edom shall become an astonishment: everyone who passes by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all its plagues.

Obadiah 1:2-4 [2] Behold, I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised. [3] The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high, who says in his heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ [4] Though you mount on high as the eagle, and though your nest is set among the stars, I will bring you down from there,” says Yahweh.

Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Don’t set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Don’t be wise in your own conceits.

Ephesians 5:21 subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of Christ.

James 1:19-21 [19] So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; [20] for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God. [21] Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”