Pride

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

PRIDE

Prov 16:18

18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

NIV

We are told not to think of ourselves more highly than we should and this is just another way of saying that. It speaks directly to the idea that we might think we are so much better than sinners. Of course that kind of thinking leads us to believe we have overcome sin. Sure we do not kill or steal or commit adultery or give false witness against our fellow believers. But do we gossip, do we have any jealously or envy or lust for things or money? Do we hold grudges, have unforgiveness or other ill feelings toward anyone? When we start to think we are without sin, that is the core of pride and we surely should know we are on a path of destruction, but the fact is if we do think we are without sin, we don’t know we are filled with pride, having a haughty spirit. We need to know we have nothing to be prideful about. We are all sinners saved by grace, it is by the gracious act of God that we are saved and not of anything in or of ourselves. We cannot even be a “Good Christian” or “A better Christian” for either of those would imply our behavior has something to do with our salvation. Yes, we must endeavor to live a life pleasing to God, but we cannot make a checklist of do’s and don’ts, making sure we do all the do’s and stay away from all the don’ts for then we might begin think we have mastered sin which would be getting a bit prideful which is of course a sin and therefore we are back to square one, we are sinners saved by the grace of God. We will never be more the sinners saved by the gracious act of God. We must always know it is all about him and not about us.