Monuments of Human Pride

Do You Have a Tower of Babel?

I recently reread the story of the Tower of Babel. The people wanted to build something to show the world their importance and to be in control. Genesis 11:4 says, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world” (NLT). Their actions were rebelling against God’s will. To keep their pride from destroying them, God confused their communication with different languages.

I have not traveled extensively, but the few times I have traveled or engaged with others whose native language is not English, I am humbled. I might sound smart and in control when I speak English, but I’m a bumbling idiot when I try to speak what little Spanish I still remember. Not only that but when you are in a different culture, the customs you may have don’t match up. Humility, again.

These experiences make me think about what I have stored up or built up in my everyday life that may make me feel superior to or more in control than I truly am. My career? I have three diplomas gracing my wall at work. My home? We just built a new one a few years ago—it is beautiful. My retirement account? I max out my contributions every month.  None of these things are bad, but if I am resting my salvation in them, I might be building monuments of human pride.

Do you have any monuments of human pride in your life?

Contributed by Liz Hunt