Everyone proud in the heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished. Proverbs 16:5
Society tells people to be proud of who they are and what they can do or have already accomplished. Children are always told to take pride in themselves. Many different groups stand up in pride of who they are and what they stand for.
Believing in self is the mantra of the world, that one can do anything that he sets his mind to, that he is the best that there is.
According to the world, this is the best way to think. It is motivating and building up. It gives people the strength to do anything that they desire.
God takes a different view of pride. In the verse today, God hates those who are proud and will get punished at some point.
God hates pride because it is all about self. Pride has no love except for self. It was pride that caused the downfall of Satan. It was pride of self that caused Adam and Eve to choose to sin against God.
It is pride that puts one’s self above all others. It believes that self is the best that there is and that self can do whatever one wants. It does not allow itself to be in submission to anyone else.
The reality is that no one can do anything at all without God’s help and provision. God is the one who sustains all life upon this earth. He is the one who gives a person breath to breathe and strength to do things.
Since it is all by God’s powers and abilities, man cannot have any pride in self. It is not about himself, but about God and about others. God is outward focused and wants His people to be outward focused.
Over the time of your life, God may have used you to do some great things. Remember it was God who gave you the ability, not you yourself. It is not about you, but Him.
As you do things, remember to give God the credit for it. Don’t take all the credit and become proud and all about self, but make it about God and others. Build God and others up. That is what true love is.
God loves the humble, but hates the proud. Don’t give Him a reason to be against you, but remove all pride.
I pray today that you will know God’s love for you; that you will know what God has done for you; that you will know that it is all about God and others; and that you will raise God and others up above yourself.
Photo by Nuno Silva on Unsplash
Agree. Sadly, pride is the norm nowadays.