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Pride!
As I watched the program “A.D.” last night, I was struck by the one thing that all of those in power had in common: Pride! The Roman officials, the Sanhedrin, the religious “authorities” all shared an overabundance of pride. They were threatened by such a humble man as Jesus the Nazarene, a man so ordinary in his appearance and behavior that Judas had to point him out to the authorities by kissing him on the cheek!
Pride is truly Satan’s snare!! It trips many un-suspecting soul into doing and saying things that are not in line with God’s plan for our lives. It fills our hearts with self-importance and lifts us up so we can look down on you! It is a POISONOUS WEED THAT GROWS IN ALL SOILS WITHOUT NEED OF WATER OR CARE.
The snare of pride caught Adam and Eve, caused Cain to murder Abel, caused Israel to fall for other gods, and the pride of the religious elite sent Jesus to the cross. In the heart of every Pharisee was the spirit of self-righteous pride. That same religious pride continues today as the sermons of many twenty-first-century clergy want the listeners to feel-good instead of challenging them to do good. They are more concerned about their reputation than winning souls!!
The consequences of pride:
Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Proverbs 29:23 – “A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.”
The consequences of humility:
Psalm 147:6: “The Lord lifts up the humble; He casts the wicked down to the ground”
Proverbs 11:2 – “When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.”
Matthew 18:4 – “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Brinda Blair
Magee, MS