“But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11-12, NKJV). This verse reverses the usual formula for greatness, servanthood instead of self-promotion.
The warning attached is direct. Self-exaltation doesn’t lead where it promises. It leads to humbling, sooner or later.
Humility, by contrast, leads somewhere better, exaltation that comes from God’s hand rather than self-promotion.
Where have you been quietly exalting yourself lately, in a way this verse warns will eventually be humbled rather than rewarded?