God uses the object lesson of a spoiled loincloth. Jeremiah declares that it was ruined and “good for nothing.”

God relates that to the pride of Judah and Jerusalem.

Pride is good for nothing.

God is far from the proud. Why would we want to be proud when it’s so destructive?

Why do I say destructive? Because a God who is near is a God who saves! A God who is far is not near to save, to rescue, to help, to deliver. Someone far from God is someone in desperate need because there is none to save.

God helps leaders find salvation by helping them find humility, though some reject the lesson.

God sought to humble Pharaoh for his salvation by sending him a shepherd from among the enslaved people. Egyptians couldn’t stand shepherds. And a ruler certainly doesn’t want a slave telling him what to do. It was the perfect recipe for humility. Pharaoh rejected it and was humbled anyway.

Why do we encourage pride in each other? Pride is good for nothing. It only harms. Either we are being praised for something we did in the flesh or are being praised for something the Lord did. Neither is praiseworthy because we shouldn’t be walking in the flesh, and it should be the Lord accomplishing through us.

We need to acknowledge the Lord in everything. He gives us our breath. He gives us our brains. He can take them both away in a heartbeat, which by the way He gives to us as well. It’s all from Him, no matter how you look at it. We aren’t to work hard. We’re to acknowledge we can do nothing, know nothing, have nothing, and turn our lives over to the God who performs all things for us (Ps. 57:2).

It’s all from Him and to Him and for Him. To God be the glory forever! (Rom. 11:36).