Bible Passage: “Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
Scripture Reading: James 4:1-12; Proverbs 16:5
I have had the privilege of ministering to men for almost thirty years. Over that time, men shared about many temptations and sins they wrestled with.
But I can count on one hand the number of men who have talked about the temptation of pride.
It seems easier for men to skip over this one to deal with what feels like more significant life issues. But if you stop and think about it, every temptation you and I struggle with is rooted in pride. We struggle because deep down inside, we think we are smarter than God or we want something different from what God wants to give us.
Skipping over the temptation and sin of pride is one of the greatest mistakes a man will ever make.
The wisdom of Proverbs warns us that pride comes before destruction. Acting like you know better than God will create greater problems in your life—it’s only a matter of time. Some men believe this is a risk worth taking—that we can figure our way around any problem or challenge in life on our own.
The Bible gives an even greater reason why we can’t afford to overlook the sin of pride in our lives:
Did you know the posture of your life will determine if God Himself opposes you, or gives grace to you?
James 4:6 teaches us that “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Proverbs 16:5 says, “Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the Lord.”
Pride is incredibly serious. You will face many opponents in life, but you don’t want God to be one of them.
The not-so-subtle lie of pride is that the only way to win is to take control and do it yourself. But God’s perspective is that the only way to win in life is to humble yourself before Him. The upside-down promise of grace is that when we humble ourselves before God, He will lift us up (James 4:10).
You can try to take control of your own life, but at best, that will only get you as far as you are able to go yourself, and you will also have God resisting you along the way.
The better way is to humble yourself before God and watch how He raises you up.
Prayer: Father, reveal the areas of my life where I am operating with pride. Please help me pay more attention to the pride in my life that is getting in the way of Your desire to give me true happiness. Amen.
Reflection: When was the last time you examined yourself for pride? How have you seen your pride lead to greater problems in your life?
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