The Danger Zone
Proverbs 16:18 and 25 NASB
18 Pride goes before destruction,
And a haughty spirit before stumbling.
25 There is a way which seems right to a person,
But its end is the way of death.
I heard a preacher declare that pride has taken out more ministers than sexual immorality. That’s a bold statement, but I will not argue with it. If you read the accounts of the kings in the Old Testament, so many who started well did not end well, and pride was the culprit.
Pride is not treated as a virtue in the Scriptures. It typically is used to describe arrogant or disdainful behavior. Another word for pride is haughtiness. Both words describe an exaltation of self. It’s one thing to display arrogance and a haughty spirit toward other people. That’s behavior that may sell well on YouTube, but is difficult to be around. The biggest problem with pride is when it’s toward the Lord.
When we believe we know what is best and we ignore the counsel of the Lord, we are heading for a fall. Verse twenty-five talks about a way that seems right to a person, but it ends in death. I have a firsthand testimony of how pride places us in the danger zone.
Years ago, I decided to go start a church in my hometown. Joy was not for the idea and suggested I go and speak with my pastor before we moved over a thousand miles away. I refused. I had heard from God. The sad thing was that I had a way that seemed right to me, and I didn’t need anyone telling me anything different. My pride created a destructive path for my family and me. By the grace of God, we recovered, but we never should have been in that position.
Fast forward to the year we started The Ark. Joy asked me to once again go and speak with my pastor, John Osteen, and this time I agreed. She asked me what I would do if he said no and would not bless the endeavor. My first response was prideful - well, I know I heard from God. But after about ten minutes, I wisely remembered the last time I had said those words and repented. I would accept his counsel and ask him to pray about it if he did not feel right about us starting a church. But he agreed, provided we left without hurting the church, and the rest is history.
One of the best ways to check yourself to see if you are in the danger zone of pride is to ask a couple of questions. Have I sincerely asked the Lord about it? Can anyone speak into my life? We have a lot of ways that we can go; don’t pick the path of pride.
Prayer
Lord, help me stay out of the danger zone of pride. I want what You want for me. I don’t want to go my own way.