Ever heard this? “Yeah, maybe you’ve got a little pride. Pride and haughtiness are characteristics that make someone unhappy, unfulfilled, and unaware. Just think about some of the arrogant world leaders and wealthy superstars in our world today. Worrying and dwelling too much on our achievements or how we appear to the world is dangerous. We get nothing but the constant fear of the image we project.

On the contrary, humility and meekness are virtues shared by kind and strong people. Above all, God loves the humble and the meek. He promises abundance for those who live in the spirit of humility (Proverbs 22:4), but it does not end there. The portrayal of humility and meekness in the Bible uncovers beautiful and moral-rich stories that we can daily apply to our lives; find inspiration; and learn important lessons about the character of God as He pursues prideful sinners to save them from eternal peril.

Here is one such story about Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon (Daniel 4:28-37).

 The Book of Daniel is an eye-opener depicting how humility in the Bible can be taught to all kinds of people. Nebuchadnezzar, a Babylonian king was wealthy and powerful leader, but he was known for being short-tempered and arrogant.

The Bible says, one night, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that made him fearful, terrified, and desperate to find out its meaning. He called all the wise men, enchanters, magicians, and astrologers from Babylon, but they could not interpret the dream. Then he called Daniel, whom he had named Belteshazzar, a prophet of God, who had the gift of interpretation of dreams, and who was spirit-filled, courageous, and humble, to interpret his dream.

Perplexed and apprehensive, but full of faith and confidence in God, Daniel revealed to Nebuchadnezzar that, his reign, pictured as an enormous tree with large strong branches that touched the sky, would be cut short, temporarily. Because of His pride, his rulership of Babylon will cease for seven years, and after that time, it will be restored to him.

This dream was a forewarning for him to humble himself before the Sovereign God of heaven and earth, and accompanying the alert, God gave Nebuchadnezzar twelve months to repent. No doubt, he probably forgot about the dream during that time, but God didn’t forget. All that time, he cherished pride in his heart, reaching a climax beyond which God could not suffer it to pass. The time had come for Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation

One year later, as Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his royal palace, his pride got hold of him, and he declared, “Is not this the great Babylon that I have built by my mighty power and the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:13-17, 28). Just as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven saying, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times [years] will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the “Most High is sovereign over all earthly kingdoms and gives them to anyone he wishes, and sets them over the lowliest of men.”

Immediately, Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity was taken from him, and he was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. This lasted for seven years, and during that time, Nebuchadnezzar could not break free from his insanity, until God appointed the end of the time.

This happened seven years later, just as Daniel predicted, when Nebuchadnezzar, full of humility, lifted his eyes to heaven. He came to the realization that God will humble those who exalt themselves, and those who walk in pride he is able to put down.

The abiding lessons are plain: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). A proud look is number one on the list of God’s most hated sins in Proverbs 6:16-19). There are many who rise from humble beginnings to great glory, and then fall because of a lack of humility. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we should remember that God pursues us by correcting us.

People are ever ready to tell what god has done for them in the way of benefits and blessings, we ought to be no less ready to tell what God has done for us in the way of humiliation and chastisements. Nebuchadnezzar sets us a good example of this. He freely confessed the vanity and pride of his heart, and freely told the methods God used to humble him. He no longer claimed immutability for his own kingdom, but made a full surrender to God, acknowledging his kingdom alone to be everlasting, and His dominion from generation to generation.

We also see that God will glorify himself among the nations. His goal wasn’t necessarily to turn Nebuchadnezzar from a powerful man into an animal, but to bring him to his proper place before God, and among men. After his experience in the wild, he knew which God was the true God, and he was a true witness, giving testimony to God’s great works.

Though the affliction had its designed effect, it wasn’t just that which brought Nebuchadnezzar to his senses. It was the humility of receiving mercy from a compassionate God who cares for sinners and who loves and wants them. Sadly, the day is coming when the wicked will be cut down and left without hope. No mercy will be mingled with their punishment because they will be destroyed, both root and branch.  In the end, all will fade away like chaff, and only the glory of God’s kingdom will remain.

Let us all remember that though we may never fully conquer pride, if we know what it looks like when it shows up, we can knock it back down before too much damage is done.  It’s usually about the “I” in me. So, beware of the “I” in pride, and ask God to help you uproot it from your life. May God help us never to forgot to acknowledge Him always, should prosperity come our way.