“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16.18.
A modern definition of pride sums it up: A high or inordinate opinion of one’s own importance, or superiority to others. It can also be defined as excessive self-esteem, known as conceit or arrogance, and elevating one’s opinions and thoughts above God’s authoritative Word.
The Bible has much to say about pride, and none of it is good! In this particular chapter, in Proverbs 16, there are three references to pride; v. 5 “Everyone that is proud of heart is an abomination to the Lord; though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” Harboring pride leads to punishment. Verse 18 at the beginning of this article tells us that pride goes before destruction. And then verse 19 says “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.” Why? Because destruction and punishment is coming to the proud, and you don’t want to be a part of that. We also find in James 4:6 that God resists the proud, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace unto the humble.” It would sure be a miserable life with God resisting you in everything you do.
Pride can be the downfall or ruination of a person or nation. When we refuse to admit that we are sinners, and God says we are: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” according to Romans 3:23, we make God a liar; 1 John 1:10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” Pride in our own righteousness will lead to our destruction. Pride causes us to harden our hearts to the warnings of God’s word and then refuse to acknowledge his ownership of this world and our lives. Psalm 24:1 plainly tells us that we don’t own a thing, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” And then speaking especially to the believer he says in 1 Corinthians 6:20, “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” Further, Romans 7:23 says, “Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” All rebellion against God and authority stems from pride.
Pride leads to excessive competition, envy, greed, covetousness, jealousy, ingratitude and entitlement. We have found that its final end is destruction and punishment, but also in Proverbs 11:2, we are warned that “When pride cometh, then cometh shame, but with the lowly is wisdom.” One the greatest challenges I face in my Christian life is keeping my pride in check when faced with opposition. I want to defend myself instead of allowing God to be my strength. It all stems from pride, and pride is sin.
May we all heed Paul’s admonition in Romans 6:12, 13 “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” If you are not a Christian, I encourage you to trust Christ in simple faith. “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalm 34:8.