Post by Emmanuel A. O. on Apr 25, 2013 11:05:57 GMT 1
A Monster Called Monster Text: proverbs 16:1-19
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
Thrown over the path of Biblical and world history are records of erstwhile powerful men – potentates, kings and despots, who had ruled their empires and kingdoms in absolute power and unrestrained pride. They were haughty and exhibited larger-than – life impressions of themselves. Need we mention Pharaoh in Egypt, Herod, Alexander The Great, Emperor Nero, Nebuchadnezzar and many others too numerous to mention?
One of them, king Louis of France, at the height of his royal majesty exulted, ‘L’etat de moi’ (I am the state). Eventually, where did all the haughty posturing and unbridled power get them? The bowels of hell.
From our passage today, we receive a divine counsel from God to fear and reverence God, to live upright and moral lives, to commit our ways to God and to be humble before Him and shun pride.
Pride is the inner voice that whispers, ‘my way is best.’ It is resisting God’s leadership and believing that we are able to live without His help. We should take note that whenever we find ourselves wanting to do it our own way while looking down on others we are on the pedestal of pride and on the way to being resisted by God and eventually destroyed for “pride goeth before a fall”.
What are hallmarks of pride – arguments, arrogance, self-exaltation, insensitivity to the feelings and opinions of others. But it has its repercussions as well: humiliation, disgrace, downfall and destruction.
As believers, we must endeavour to possess the mind of Christ, strenuously appropriate His humility, self-effacement, self-immolation, and unobtrusive mien. Pride confers no honour on anyone. Instead it evokes rejection, bitterness, contempt and pity from others. Is there any whiff of pride in you and yet you are called a believer. Cease not to war against the monster until it is removed, else it will propel you to where you least expect.
Thought for the day:
The flip side of humility is humiliation.
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).
Thrown over the path of Biblical and world history are records of erstwhile powerful men – potentates, kings and despots, who had ruled their empires and kingdoms in absolute power and unrestrained pride. They were haughty and exhibited larger-than – life impressions of themselves. Need we mention Pharaoh in Egypt, Herod, Alexander The Great, Emperor Nero, Nebuchadnezzar and many others too numerous to mention?
One of them, king Louis of France, at the height of his royal majesty exulted, ‘L’etat de moi’ (I am the state). Eventually, where did all the haughty posturing and unbridled power get them? The bowels of hell.
From our passage today, we receive a divine counsel from God to fear and reverence God, to live upright and moral lives, to commit our ways to God and to be humble before Him and shun pride.
Pride is the inner voice that whispers, ‘my way is best.’ It is resisting God’s leadership and believing that we are able to live without His help. We should take note that whenever we find ourselves wanting to do it our own way while looking down on others we are on the pedestal of pride and on the way to being resisted by God and eventually destroyed for “pride goeth before a fall”.
What are hallmarks of pride – arguments, arrogance, self-exaltation, insensitivity to the feelings and opinions of others. But it has its repercussions as well: humiliation, disgrace, downfall and destruction.
As believers, we must endeavour to possess the mind of Christ, strenuously appropriate His humility, self-effacement, self-immolation, and unobtrusive mien. Pride confers no honour on anyone. Instead it evokes rejection, bitterness, contempt and pity from others. Is there any whiff of pride in you and yet you are called a believer. Cease not to war against the monster until it is removed, else it will propel you to where you least expect.
Thought for the day:
The flip side of humility is humiliation.