Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. (Psalm 52:1)

What constitutes being mighty in the eyes of man? Is it because he is physically stronger than his brother, more influential than his brother, or simply more aggressive than another? One commentator asked the question this way: Is a man truly mighty when he sees someone standing at the edge of a pit, and for his own personal gain, pushes the man into the pit? On the contrary, the mightiest of men would recognize the threat to his neighbor — or his enemy for that matter — and quickly snatch the person away from the pit, thus saving his life.

The point is, we should not strive to be viewed as mighty in eyes of men who errantly look at the outward appearance; we should strive to be regarded as mighty in the eyes of God. Those who subdue their tendency to think and act selfishly, and instead behave selflessly for the benefit of their fellow man, emulate the characteristics and attributes of the Almighty One. How mighty can one truly be if he is able to subdue others but is unable to conquer his own weaknesses? As believers, how and why would we expect to overcome our external foe if we are unable to overcome the internal adversary called self? We won’t and we can’t.

As David reminds us, though, the goodness of God knows no bounds nor is it limited to one generation; it is accessible to all and in every situation. The Lord is and has always been on our side. By Him and through Him, we can overcome the adversary within, and by His Spirit and Might, we can overcome the enemy of our soul. In the end, our victory is not attained by our might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts. His goodness and mercy, which is poured out upon us, provides the strength we need to overcome our personal vices and the devices of Satan. And so this is what constitutes a mighty man or woman of God: complete surrender to His Will and the acknowledgment that all good things, including victory over all adversaries, come from Him.   

Blessings and Shalom,  

Bill 

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