Pride Goes Before The Fall
Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 7:00AM MAD21 By Pat
Pride can be a very good thing. For instance, when we take pride in our appearance, we make sure we're clean and neat and look our best. Pride of ownership ensures that we are taking proper care of our homes, cars, even our lawns and our pets. We take pride in them, so we take good care of them.
However, there is another component to pride that's not such a positive trait. Pride can also prevent us from making a necessary apology, admit we're wrong, or give someone else credit for something we did. Pride can prevent humility. We are often so unwilling to back down, to appear weaker than another. Our need to be right, to "win," supersedes our willingness to admit what we might perceive as weakness.
I have heard of so many relationships that are strained because of our misplaced pride. I think it's something each of us could apply to ourselves...I know I certainly can! We need to find the correct balance of pride and remember that putting our pride aside demonstrates strength, not weakness. Jesus never felt the need to prove himself right, or better, or stronger. His strength of character made him able to always be humble. We need to put away the pride and be like Jesus!
"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18)
"Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor." (Proverbs 18:12)
Reader Comments (1)
Amen. Jesus made Himself nothing, taking on the nature of a servant and humbled Himself even to death on a cross. What an example! He was assured of who He was and the end result. May we allow that grace to have its full work in our lives... Thanks.