Friday, May 9, 2008

Pride

Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but before honor comes humility. Proverbs 18:12 (HCSB)

My quiet time reading yesterday was on the subject of pride. The Scriptures contain numerous warnings about the danger of pride. This, of course, does not refer to a person possessing a healthy self-image, but to an attitude of arrogance or self-centeredness.

We tend to think that the way to get ahead is to push ourselves forward. God's truth is opposite of man's thinking. Destruction is preceded by a haughty heart; honor is preceded by humility. The path leading to a fall is by way of pride. The path to honor is by way of humility. The Believer's Commentary has a statement that really hit home with me:

"Pride has one foot in the grave and another on a banana skin. Humility walks securely toward honor." (William MacDonald and Arthur Farstad, Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1995)

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