What are you known by?

(Prov 21:4 GNB) Wicked people are controlled by their conceit and arrogance, and this is sinful.

This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs –I like to say that in this book we are Walking in the Wisdom of God."

Solomon has already spent a great deal of time painting the picture of how we are supposed to live. Every once in a while it seems like he throws in a few scriptures like this, so we can see what we are NOT supposed to do or look like.

As a believer our identifying characteristic should be the love of God (see John 13:35, 1st John 4:8). God is love and since we are in Him and He is in us, He expects us to operate in His love. If we are His children and we are called by His name, then it stands to reason that we would look like, walk like, talk like, and act like Him in the earth. When people see us they should see God.

John said, "As He is, so are we in this world" (1st John 4:17); and the "He" John refers to is Jesus Himself. So just as Jesus is - loving, caring, sharing, compassionate, merciful, inclined to forgive, disposed to do good, and etc. - so are we to be in this world! Did you get that? We are supposed to be like Jesus NOW! In this world. In our present state. In our daily lives. Not some day, not when we make it to heaven, not in our glorified bodies, but RIGHT NOW, today!

The Father expects you and I to be like His Son every day. We are destined to be conformed into His image (Romans 8:29), and when we are, when we allow the Father to transform us into the image of His Son, then Jesus becomes the "firstborn among many brothers" (Romans 8:29). In the gospels, while Jesus was still alive, Jesus was the "only begotten of the Father," (John 1:14, 1:18, 3:16), but now, after Jesus conquered death, hell and the grave, and after He has poured out His spirit upon every person who accepts Him as Lord, He is now the "firstborn among many brothers." In other words, before Jesus' death and resurrection, He was the only one communing directly with the Father and being led of the Spirit, but now every Born-Again believer is supposed to be this way. We are supposed to look just like Jesus in the earth - making a difference everywhere we go.

This brings us back to our text for this morning. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: "Arrogance and pride-distinguishing marks in the wicked-are just plain sin." Arrogance and pride are not supposed to be our distinguishing marks. As Solomon states, they are just plain sin. As believers we are called to operate in love, because God IS love, and love is not arrogant or boastful. Paul said, "Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily" (1st Corinthians 13:4). When you operate in God's love you don't have excessively high and twisted opinion of yourself and you definitely don't look down on others.

Pride is what got satan kicked out of heaven. Isaiah explained it: "Satan said, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:13,14). What do you see in those two verses? Satan had an excessively high opinion of himself, God was not in his conversation at all, and he paid the price for it.

So what does this mean to you? Three quick things:
1. Arrogance and pride are the identifying characteristics of satan and his followers.
2. Love is THE identifying characteristic of Jesus and His followers.
3. Your actions (not just your words) tell others which one you are following!

Father, I thank You for Your Word and I thank You for Your love. You love has been poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit and I am now able to operate in Your love daily. I flow in your love so strong that others can see it, feel it, and get transformed by it. I am known as a child of God because I am known for Your love. Your love is my identifying characteristic. I prove I love You by loving others daily. I am loved, I believe Your love, I have faith in Your love, and Your love has transformed me into a vessel of love, light, grace, and peace! I declare this by faith! In Jesus' name. Amen!