Monday, Sep 16, 2013 "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18 In the days leading up to Super Bowl XLII in February of 2008, the New England Patriots were riding an impressive winning streak. They hadn’t lost a game all season, and one more win would make them only the second undefeated team in NFL history. They were heavily favored to defeat the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, and team officials made plans to capitalize on the expected victory. Steps were taken to trademark the phrase 19-0, and hats and shirts with that commemoration of a perfect season were printed up ahead of time. Unfortunately for the Patriots, the Giants were not interested in rolling over and playing dead. They fought for every yard and point, and when the game was over the Giants had pulled off a shocking 17-14 upset victory. The natural sinful tendency is for us to feel overconfident pride for our accomplishments and achievements. Yet, in truth, though we can and should work hard, all that we do is the result of what God has given us. Paul reminded the church at Corinth that all of their success was due to God’s grace and not their own ability. “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). There is no place for pride in God’s plan for our lives. In fact when we are proud, we position ourselves for judgment. The only true and lasting form of glory is that which God gives to those who banish pride. Peter wrote, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). Exalting ourselves in what we have done sets us up for a great fall. Today’s Proverbs Precept: Banish pride from your heart and mind so that you can receive God’s promotion and honor.
Posted on: Mon, 16 Sep 2013 10:53:53 +0000
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