Who Do You Think You Are???

Have you ever seen somebody get a little promotion, a little title, a little access, or a little attention, and suddenly they start acting brand new? You knew them before the badge, before the office, before the platform, before the “reply all” emails started sounding like press releases. But now they walk a little different, talk a little different, and act like they came down from the mountain with tablets in their hands. And sometimes you just want to lovingly ask, “Who do you think you are??” Now, that question can sound harsh if it is said the wrong way. But sometimes it is needed. Not to tear someone down, but to bring them back to humility. It is a reminder to remember who you are, where you came from, and how you got here.

That got me thinking about Romans 11:11–24. Paul is writing about Israel and the Gentiles, and he uses the picture of an olive tree. Some branches were broken off, and wild branches were grafted in. The Gentile believers had been brought into something they did not create, did not start, and did not earn. They were receiving grace through faith in Jesus Christ. But Paul gives a clear warning in Romans 11:18 (NIV): “Do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.” Maneeeeeee!!! That will sit you down if you let it. Paul was saying, “Do not become arrogant. Do not start thinking you are better because you have been brought in. Do not forget that grace is the reason you are standing.”

And that warning still speaks to us today. As believers, we are called to be set apart. We are called to live differently, think differently, love differently, speak differently, and follow the Heavenly Father in a way that honors Him. But being set apart does not mean we are above people.

We are set apart, not superior.

We are called, not cocky.

We are chosen by grace, not crowned by our own goodness.

That matters because sometimes believers can forget what grace really means. We can look at people who do not believe, people who are struggling, people who are living differently, or people who have not yet surrendered to Christ, and instead of compassion rising up, pride starts sneaking in. We may not say it out loud, but it can show up in how we talk about people, how we treat people, how quickly we judge people, and how slowly we remember that we needed mercy too.

Paul’s reminder is simple: the root supports you. You are not holding God up. God is holding you up. You are not saved because you were better. You are saved because Jesus is gracious. You are not standing because you had it all together. You are standing because the Heavenly Father had mercy. That should humble us. Because the same grace that reached us is the same grace that can reach someone else. Romans 11 reminds us that arrogance has no place in the heart of a believer. If we truly understand grace, we should not look down on people. We should pray for them. We should love them. We should tell the truth with humility. We should stand firm without acting high-minded.

There is a difference between conviction and arrogance. Conviction says, “I believe what God has said, and I want to live in obedience to Him.” Arrogance says, “I am better than you because I believe this.” Conviction is rooted in truth. Arrogance is rooted in pride. And pride will have us forgetting that we were not always where we are now. Somebody prayed for us. Somebody was patient with us. Somebody told us the truth. Somebody loved us when we were not easy to love. And most importantly, the Heavenly Father had mercy on us when we could not save ourselves. So no, we are not below anyone. We do not have to shrink back from who God has called us to be. We do not have to apologize for belonging to Christ. We do not have to water down truth to make people comfortable. But we are also not above anyone.

We are servants.

We are witnesses.

We are recipients of grace.

And if we are going to represent Jesus well, we must remember that truth and humility belong together. So today, walk as someone set apart. Live with conviction. Honor the Heavenly Father. Stand on His Word. But when pride starts trying to sneak in, let Romans 11 ask the question: “Who do you think you are??” Not to shame you. But to remind you. You are someone held up by grace. You are someone supported by the root. You are someone called to reflect Christ, not look down on people He came to save. Because the root supports you. And grace is the only reason any of us are standing.

Next Step

Reflect on an area of your life where pride may be quietly influencing how you view others. Consider whether you have been seeing people through the eyes of grace or through the lens of comparison. Invite Lord Jesus to examine your heart and teach you how to walk in truth with humility. Ask Him to help you remember that you are set apart by grace, not placed above anyone else. We are set apart. Not superior.

God bless you, God keep you. God loves you and I love you too!