Proverbs 16:18-19
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed, than to share plunder with the proud.
I once heard of a pastor who presented a sermon series on humility. He hammered against the sin of pride and the necessity for every true believer to be empty of self in order to defeat the terrible sin of pride and self-righteousness. Following his final sermon on the topic, a little lady met him at the door. She thanked him profusely and said, “Pastor, this has been the most meaningful series. I do not have many gifts or talents, but I am so proud that I am humble.” The pastor felt like vomiting!
Pride is one of the most prevalent and insidious of sins. It creeps into our life as quiet as a butterfly. To understand this tendency toward pride, stop and listen to the many times the words “I” or “Me” dominate our conversations. Even our spiritual music often has a personal focus.
None of us are immune from this horrible sin. The moment we take our eyes off the Lord and focus on ourselves, we are headed toward the slippery slope of pride. Surely the Devil howls with delight every time he watches this scene unfold. The way to deal with pride is to spend more time with the Lord and being concerned with others more than ourselves.
Blessings, Dear Hearts, draw near to God today, trust Him completely, and be a blessing!
—Pastor Cecil