Proverbs 14:21. Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner…
It’s easy to look down on others isn’t it? Often we think that most of us struggle with an inferiority complex, but the truth is that way more often we struggle with a superiority complex. Simply put, we think that we are better than others. We despise our neighbor.
Despise might sound like a strong word, and it is. To despise someone is to have contempt for them. They aren’t worth my time. They don’t deserve my help. I don’t have time for them. This proverb is describing the opposite of the law’s command to love your neighbor as yourself.
The wise person fights against these feelings of superiority that creep into our hearts. Indwelling sin causes us to naturally look for the faults of others. As it did with Adam and Eve in the Garden, sin causes us to cover up our shame by blaming and scorning others. “The woman you gave to me made me do it.” Our self-righteous minds cause us to first judge others long before we show understanding and compassion. The Apostle Paul described this in the letter to the Galatians.
Galatians 5:26. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
The word Paul uses here is conceited. This is a superiority from emptiness. Conceit means vain or empty. When we feel empty inside we will naturally try to fill that void. How? With the self. The result? Provoking others and envying others.
The solution? Here’s what Paul said in the verses just before:
Galatians 5:24-25. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
Christ Jesus is the only person who ever lived who had the right to feel and act superior to others. He actually was better than everyone else. But he never acted that way. He never just ignored people. He never got annoyed by another person. He always helped. He always loved. He always put others first. By taking on flesh and joining himself to humanity he understood that we’re all the same. We all have struggles, faults, and failures. We all need the same help from the same Heavenly Father.
And that help was the cross. The crucified flesh. Literally. And now, in Christ, all who belong to Christ have also crucified the flesh. The superiority. The conceit. The provocations and the envying. It is all slowly dying on Christ cross of love. Perfect love, that when trusted fully, will fully execute any self-righteous contempt for our neighbor. Even if they are different from us. Even if they are hard to live next to. Even if they are an enemy.
When we consider what it took to make us lovable to God, the death of his Son, then we can begin to die to ourselves and love the one who appears to be unlovable.
You: In what ways do your feelings of superiority manifest themselves?
You in Christ: How does our union with the cross of Christ allow us to forsake superiority and embrace humble love for our neighbor?
Christ in you: Is there a literal neighbor that you have ignored or forsaken? How can you and Jesus rebuild that relationship?
Pray: Jesus, you never looked down on others including me. Help me to be generous to everyone and care about others knowing that I have no right to feel better than anyone. Amen.
To Live is Christ 