MIND OVER MATTERS: PRIDE
Proverbs 16:18; 29:23
Dr. Glenn A. Jent, Pastor
INTRODUCTION
Pride is a serious problem in our world today. Watching the Olympics, we hear of participants bragging about themselves and trash-talking opponents. They (and we) need to be reminded again and again of the teachings of Scripture about the danger of pride: Pride precedes destruction. A haughty spirit precedes a fall. Pride shall bring a person low. According to our text, it is not pride but humility that brings honor. Furthermore, pride keeps a person from acknowledging sin and the need for God, thus hindering repentance (for both sinner and saint). Let us examine this matter more closely from the Scriptures.
I. SATANIC PRIDE: TO THINK WE CAN BE LIKE GOD
1. Satan sought to raise his throne above the stars of God (Isaiah 14:12-14).
2. Eve desired to have a knowledge of good and evil like God (Genesis 3:4-6).
3. Evolutionists teach that humanity is evolving toward a God-like being.
4. Humanists teach that life centers around the individual, as if we were gods.
5. Some religions, like the Mormons, teach that we shall become gods at death.
Most of these ideas sound desirable to our human way of thinking; but we need to understand that our purpose, our destiny, is not to become God, or even like God. God is Sovereign Ruler of the universe! Actually, this desire is a perversion of what God really desires for us. According to Romans 8:29, God wants us to become like Jesus Christ, who had a servant mentality. We are empowered by God’s Holy Spirit to do this, since it is impossible for us to do it in our own wisdom and strength.
II. HUMAN PRIDE: TO THINK WE ARE BETTER THAN WE ARE
1. Saul assumed the role of a priest and offered a sacrifice to God because the priest was late in arriving (1 Samuel 13:5-14).
2. Rehoboam refused to listen to the request of his people and increased the taxes Solomon had charged so that he might have a better kingdom (1 Kings 12:1-17).
3. Jezebel assumed she was above the law and could steal and kill just so that she might make her husband Ahab happy (1 Kings 21).
4. The self-righteous, like the Pharisees, think they are the only ones who please God by their actions and despise others who are obviously less spiritual.
5. The Jehovah’s Witnesses think they can become a part of the 144,000 (actually, these are all Christian martyrs) in Heaven by working according to their teachings.
We should see through these foolish ideas quite easily, but sometimes we do not. Thinking we are better than we are is a serious problem. It is a perversion of proper evaluation of self. We think we can become someone of value by what we do. However, our value comes from something God does for us, not from what we do for God or for ourselves. Our value comes from the fact that we are made in the Image of God and because Jesus Christ died for us. We can do nothing to add to that true value!
CONCLUSION
In our text, Solomon reminds us of the importance of being humble, not proud. Also, in Proverbs 11:2, he says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace [shame], but with humility comes wisdom.” We need to relearn the importance of humility so that we can become wise. Paul writes in Philippians 2:3-4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Do not simply think of yourself and your own value or needs, but also consider the value and needs of others.
Illustration: In the Olympics, an American pole vaulter’s boast about how good she was and how she was going to beat the reigning Olympic gold medalist, a Russian
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