Pride tries to keep us from accepting God’s gift of eternal life. God makes clear that those who are broken and sense their need for Him will find Him. He will come near to the humble. Humility is the key to receiving His gift of grace. Why? Pride makes us want to do everything on our own. Pride says, I need no one. I need nothing. And if I do need something, I’ll get it myself. Pride makes us root our value, strength, goodness, and identity in our own works. And it blinds us. Humility, on the other hand, opens us up to the greatest gift ever given.

Imagine a king granting a poor, homeless man the keys to his palace, a place in his family, and a clean slate for his past. What would the homeless man’s best response be? Think about it. This is like what God offers to us all. Will we open our hands and receive His gift or close our minds to our need for it?