Pride Goes Before A Fall by Ann Elaine Broughton
“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 NIV).
Jesus spoke against pride with a parable about a Pharisee who was praying at the temple. A tax collector was there also and fpraying that God would have mercy on him, a sinner. The Pharisee was praying: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men---robbers, evildoers, adulterers----or even like this tax collector” (Luke 18:11 NIV). Jesus said that the tax collector went home justified before God.
The kind of pride displayed by the Pharisee isn’t pleasing to God. When I was growing up my mother always told me that “pride cometh before a fall.” You see she knew that pride could lead a person into conceit and selfishness. Both of these traits are displeasing to God. We are to be humble instead of prideful. Sometimes as Christians we can get caught in a “holier than thou” attitude. It is so important that we not think of ourselves above anyone else.
The Lord loves everyone and wants him or her to go to Heaven. We too should have that kind of love for others no matter what their social status is or how they look. Jesus associated with sinners all the time. “When the teachers of law who were Pharisees saw him eating with “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples, Why does he eat with tax collectors and “sinners”?” (Mark 2:16 NIV). Jesus told them that he had not come to call the righteous, but to call the sinners. We are to be in the world, but not of the world. That means we are to be among those who are sinners as witness to Christ, but still maintain our Christian ways. We are here on earth as a Christian to show others love and compassion, just as Jesus did to everyone.
This week let’s look at others through Jesus’ eyes and see them as those who the Lord loves. Watch out for prideful thoughts and stop them immediately.
Dear Lord,
Help us to not be prideful. Help us not to judge others, but to have compassion towards everyone. Let us reach out to others with love and sincerity knowing that is exactly what you did while you were on earth.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
