Pride
The problem with pride
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Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18 (NET)
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This is a pretty famous proverb.
It’s one of those that says the same thing twice, adding emphasis which hopefully makes us pay more attention to what it’s saying.
Pride is often linked to idolatry.
What I mean is, a person who is filled with sinful pride is usually putting their own ego ahead of God. Instead of allowing God to be the center of their life, they place something else. It could be money, or intelligence, or status…
Regardless, it’s foolish.
Unfortunately, the proud are also often deaf to the warnings of their impending doom.
i.e., they can’t “hear” the warnings from others.
It’s kind of a spiraling outcome of pride, that they become so inflated with the idol they follow that they cannot hear the warnings of destruction ahead or see the signs of impending issues.
It reminds me of anger, which I talked about a little while ago.
How angry people can’t “hear” others. Prideful people can’t either.
Humility is strangely powerful.
Is it really a weakness to listen to the warnings from wiser people? Is it a weakness to rely on others, going farther together than we can go alone?
Sure, going alone gets you somewhere fast, but is it really where you want to be?
The Bible is clear, humility is better than pride.
My own experience agrees.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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