February 25, 2009

Too Big for Their Britches

Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. Then they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake [them] thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top [is] in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, "Indeed the people [are] one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech." So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. (Genesis 11:1-9 NKJV)

The phrase “Too big for their britches” is an old way of saying someone is acting in a self-important manner. They are over estimating their abilities. This kind of behavior usually lead to some form of correction from loving parents.

The Tower of Babel is an example of such defiance, and an inflated ego. God had told the people to fill the earth (Gen 9:1). They sought to defy this command by erecting a tower in the center of their new empire.

Their rebellion is only outdone by their arrogance. They were going to build a tower whose top is in the heavens. This magnificent structure would give them a name among all men. This tower would be a testimony of their enterprise.

However, God would not allow it, nor will God allow you to defy His commands. It is almost funny when you read this accounting. Man is going to build a tower to heaven, but God has to come down to see it. The people are all one so God confuses their language so they sounded to each other as if they babbled.

Friends, God will not allow you to thwart His plans. Do not resist His will for your life. He is capable of moving you in the direction He desires. You may not be able to discern what job He wants you to have or in what city He wants you to live, but you know He wants you to walk in holiness. You know the prescription for that is reading the Word and praying. Don’t wait for God to move you to that place where you must read and pray. Who knows what He might need to bring into your life to humble you? Humble yourself first. Don’t get too big for your britches.