Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
PRIDE: An unduly high opinion of oneself. A domineering spirit. Exaggerated self-esteem, conceit. A puffed up and inflated ego. Boasting – A conceited sense of one’s superiority.
HAUGHTY: A prideful attitude and disregard for others. Lack of respect for others.Conceited, arrogant, superior attitude.An egotistical spirit. Haughty behavior resulting from arrogance.
Pride is a false sense of one’s own excellence while being haughty puts others beneath you…and God guarantees you that with both of these sinful attitudes, you will experience a fall. Pride is poison to the heart, soul, and mind. It hardens the heart from loving and forgiving others, so it corrodes relationships. It cauterizes the soul against correction and warnings, so it leads to terrible backslidings and falls. It blinds the mind to dangers and risks, so a man rushes into foolish choices and destruction without ordinary caution.
It is easy to spot a proud man. He likes to talk, especially about himself or his opinions. He does not serve others voluntarily, for it is beneath him, and he is too preoccupied with his own things. He rejects advice or warnings. He gets angry easily, criticizes others, and holds bitterness for past offences. A proud man presumes on people, is disrespectful of authority, and flouts the breaking of laws. He always has an excuse for his bad actions, instead of a humble apology. He speaks hastily. The problems in his life are always someone else’s fault. He will not seek help.
Self-awareness is a key component in the healthy Christian life (Psalm 51:3-4). And while you may not think you are not a prideful or haughty person, you need to be willing to ask God to search your heart and show you where this sneaky and destructive sin has taken root…and you need to pray for humility. Humility is not thinking or saying you are humble. Humility is obeying God and serving others. Humility is not how you look or walk; it is exalting God and others instead of yourself. Pride provokes Him to judgment; humility brings His blessing.
