The Prequel to a Fall

 

The highway of the upright turns aside from evil; whoever guards his way preserves his life. Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud. Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord. (Proverbs 16:17-20 ESV).

 

As we continue in this month’s theme of discovering a life of peace through virtue, today we look at the destructive nature of pride. Pride comes in two forms. The same two kinds of pride show up in many cultures. Both kinds have to do with being majestic or exalted in some way. One kind of pride is good. This is the pride that results from the moment when parents view the development of their children as remarkable. But the other kind of pride is very destructive. Throughout Proverbs we read about the good development that can happen when someone pursues wisdom. True wisdom is gained through God. And even though a wise person can go through many ups and downs in life, the wisdom they’ve gained will help to hold their life together.

 

However, we must beware of trying to keep it all together on our own. This is the result of the kind of pride that makes you think that anything you built on your own is worth more. Or that because you built it by yourself you won’t need anyone’s help to hold it together. Or, most dangerous of all, that because you have been self-sufficient, you are a greater person than people who have relied on others.

 

That kind of pride leads to destruction. Our reading today is saying that if you have built something without God, then it isn’t built very well. It’s not built to last. Sooner or later, the so-called majestic life you built without God will simply fall apart. This is how Jesus taught this principle:

 

[Jesus said] “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like aa wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:24-27 ESV).

What are you building your life on… only Jesus will insure a life that can withstand the ravages of the storms of life!