Key Verse:
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” — Proverbs 16:18 (KJV)
Reflection
Titles can be affirming—they recognize our labor, our expertise, and our leadership. But when they become the source of our identity, they can quietly corrupt our hearts. In both the workplace and the church, vulnerable people often look to leaders for safety, guidance, and compassion. When leaders become consumed by their own elevation, they risk turning sacred spaces into stages for ego.
The Holy Bible provides clear examples of status-driven abuse where individuals in positions and having titles used their titles in a way that was not pleasing to the Most High God.
Pharaoh (Exodus 5:2)
Refused to release the Israelites, hardened his heart, and used his power to oppress.
“Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?”
King Saul (1 Samuel 15:23)
Let jealousy and pride drive him to disobedience and violence.
“Thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.”
Diotrephes (3 John 1:9)
A church leader who loved “preeminence,” rejected apostolic authority, and expelled faithful believers.
“Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.”
These three real-world scenarios show how unchecked pride tied to position can lead to emotional harm, injustice, and spiritual blindness. Whether in hospitals, classrooms, government, or churches, leaders must remember that true authority is rooted in humility, service, and accountability.
1. Nurses and Medical Staff
A nurse may hold clinical authority, but when that title becomes a source of superiority, it can lead to dismissive behavior toward patients—especially the elderly, disabled, or mentally ill.
- Example: A patient’s pain is minimized because the nurse assumes they’re exaggerating or “just seeking attention.”
2. Politicians and Public Officials
Political titles carry influence, but when used to silence dissent or manipulate public trust, they become tools of control.
- Example: A politician uses their office to push personal agendas while ignoring the needs of marginalized communities.
3. Professors and Educators
Academic authority should empower students, but when professors use their status to enforce biased grading or suppress differing viewpoints, it breeds fear and inequality.
- Example: A student receives lower marks for challenging the professor’s ideology, despite strong academic performance.
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Examine yourself:
"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?" -- (2 Corinthians 13:5)
1. Do I lead to serve, or to be seen?
2. Do I listen to the vulnerable, or only to those who affirm me?
3. Do I use my position to protect others, or to protect my image?
4. Do I over use my title to oppress, control, manipulate people and situations to my advantage?
Be truthful with yourself, as you are answering to the Almighty God. If you find err in your heart, make a choice to repent and maintain your covenant relationship with God. -- (1 John 1:7-10)
True leadership is not about being elevated—it’s about elevating others. Jesus, the King of Kings, washed feet. He welcomed the broken, the outcast, and the overlooked. His authority was rooted in compassion and mercy, not titles, positions, and statuses.
Prayer
Abba Father, strip away any pride that hides behind my title, positions, and status. Teach me to lead like You—with humility, compassion, mercy and courage as the weighter matters of life. Help me to see the vulnerable not as burdens, but as sacred trusts. May my position never become a pedestal, to harm, or to oppress; but always a platform for Your glory. I'm Yah,shuahs Mighty Name. Amen.
Rev. Dr. Donna Ghanney
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