But when David’s oldest brother, Eliab, heard David talking to the men, he was angry. “What are you doing around here anyway?” he demanded. “What about those few sheep you’re supposed to be taking care of? I know about your pride and deceit. You just want to see the battle!” (1 Samuel 17:28 NASB) 

The Devil is called the accuser of the brethren.  Those who struggle with pride are the first to charge others of this offense.  The Enemy is very skillful in accusing us of sin generally that we may not be guilty of specifically.  

We are all of the offspring of Adam.  We have the tendency toward pride in our hearts, yet God deals with it in his time and way.  The Devil is the accuser of the brethren (Revelation 12:10). God, generally, does not reveal pride to us through accusations.  The Devil tries to condemn us, God convicts us.  Conviction of pride has specificity to it rather than vague charges.  Pride always has feet to it.  It is about an attitude or action.  If someone says that you are conceited, yet does not tell you how you are so, I would ignore it.   Condemnation makes you feel guilty without giving you the information you need to deal with it.  Conviction, being specific, coupled with repentance leads to hope and freedom

To ease their consciences, people are skillful in projecting their sins on us.  How did David respond? He said, “What have I done? Was it not just a question?” (v. 29) If your heart does not convict you explicitly, you should not let man condemn you generally.  The Devil would like to keep us hopeless by making us feel guilty with no way out.  God is not the accuser of the brethren.

I worked for seventeen years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission.  My missionary work has taken me to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, and Ukraine.  I hold a Masters of Education in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.  [email protected]