This post is actually a chapter from a book that I wrote a while back entitled Finding My Voice. The book is a work in progress that still has not been published, but I felt led to share this chapter with you today. The topic of pride is difficult for me to write about because it is something I struggle with every day. Therefore, please understand that I do not profess to be an authority on the subject (which in itself would be prideful to say). I have not eliminated this issue from my life, but I have identified it. That is the first step. I have also committed to surrender this area of my life to the Lord, and do what is necessary on my part to achieve daily improvement. There are days when I experience setbacks, but God has an ample amount of grace and forgiveness available for those moments.
I think that pride is a huge issue for musicians in particular, since our gift tends to put us on stage or some form of public display. Musical performance is a public display of intimacy. All eyes are on us as we bear ourselves in a way that is emotional, passionate and vulnerable. Therefore, any musician who engages in public performance experiences an incredible desire to be accepted.
When a musician is accepted, this puffs up his spirit. He thinks more highly of himself. This causes him to view (and ultimately treat) others as lower than he. If he is not accepted, a musician becomes bitter and resentful. If the public showers more acceptance on another musician, he will become jealous and even envious of that person.
The acceptance that a musician receives from fans is addictive. It is what makes public musical performance so enjoyable. Once it is experienced you want more. If you are not careful, it can easily become your primary focus. Your motive for performing is no longer to glorify God or edify people. Now it is to be affirmed by people. This change in motive has an effect on your actions.
I experienced this as people complimented my tone on the saxophone. As mentioned earlier, I forsook balanced practice and focused primarily on tone. I also adopted unnatural habits to facilitate control of my tone. These musical decisions lead to years of poor training, lack of growth and eventual vocal damage.
I have also experienced many issues with pride as a Christian worship leader and musician. There have been countless fights over monitor levels, who is singing which harmony, who was late for sound-check, who gets to stand where and who gets featured parts. I thought that stepping down from worship leading and pursuing a Christian contemporary ministry would help to alleviate this. However, I found that the same strife and contention existed in the Christian coffee house and concert world.
Even worse, I found that it existed in me. As long as that was true, it didn't matter where I moved, because it moved with me. I remember one coffee house in particular where God revealed my pride and brought me back to my senses. I had been waiting to get booked by a particular coffee house for a long time. While waiting for the call-back, I received a call from another less popular place which had suffered a last minute cancelation. I committed to sing there since my schedule was open. Just after that, I received the call-back from the more prominent coffee house. It was difficult, but I turned them down and explained that I had just committed to another event.
I arrived at the less popular coffee house and began to set up. At that time there were only two people present beside me. They were the owner and his assistant. The situation stood this way till five minutes before the start time. Then one other person arrived as a member of the audience. The owner looked at me and said, "Ok, Ray, are you ready to start?" The worst part was, he wasn't joking. I had so many thoughts running through my head. Why did I agree to sing here? Why is the owner making me sing to one person? I could be at that other place right now. I tried my best to quiet down those thoughts and concentrate on singing.
I went through a full set, and felt like an idiot during most of it. I had played for small crowds before, but it is truly awkward to play for one person. Then, towards the end of the set, something happened. I shared a testimony about an original song called "My Father." As I sang the song, I noticed the man in the audience began to cry. That wasn't supposed to be the last song in the set, but it turned out that way. The man came up to me at the end of the song and began to share his story. His father had just passed away. Shortly after, his wife left him and took their house. He too was a musician with a home recording studio. Most of his equipment was in storage, and he was living in a small apartment. He was at a point in his life where he felt like God had abandoned him. He explained, though, that he experienced an overwhelming sense of God's love while I was singing my song. This is what caused him to cry. I prayed with him, and the night ended shortly after.
On the ride home God barraged me with thoughts about what had happened. Thoughts like, "Quality is more important than quantity" and the parable of the lost sheep. I realized that God orchestrated it for me to be singing at that coffee house on that night in order to minister to that man. He caused the last minute cancelation and prompted the owner to call me. He put it on my heart to sing "My Father" at that point in the set. He cared enough about that man to do all that, and He chose to do it through me. I didn't receive much praise or affirmation that night, but it didn't matter. I was on cloud nine just for being used by God in such an incredible way.
The story doesn't end there though. I was singing in a different coffee house about a year later. This night there was a good crowd. I was coming to the end of the set and decided to sing "My Father" to wrap things up. Instead of my usual testimony about writing the song, I felt lead to share the story about the night when I sang to one person. I encouraged people to use the moment to enter into an intimate time of worship and fellowship with God. At the end of the song something amazing happened. A man stood up in the back of the room. He identified himself as the same man from my one-person concert. He testified about how God brought restoration to his life after that concert. Then he introduced the woman next to him as his wife. He explained that God restored their marriage. I was so excited after that concert that I couldn't fall asleep. Now God had orchestrated for that man to be at my concert, just to show me the fruit of my ministry.
However, pride is not an issue that is exclusive to musicians. It is very easy to get wrapped up in recognition and affirmation, especially in the church. People often give in offerings and participate in ministries just to be noticed. People strive for more prominent positions within ministries. It is an interesting experiment to observe how members of a congregation treat the pastor (or other prominent leaders) compared to regular people in the church. How many people show up if the pastor needs help moving or painting his house? How many people show up if John Smith needs the same help? Our motives are often revealed by our actions (or reactions).
I believe that pride is the root of all sin. When asked to sum up the law Jesus said:
...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37b-40 ESV).
On the ride home God barraged me with thoughts about what had happened. Thoughts like, "Quality is more important than quantity" and the parable of the lost sheep. I realized that God orchestrated it for me to be singing at that coffee house on that night in order to minister to that man. He caused the last minute cancelation and prompted the owner to call me. He put it on my heart to sing "My Father" at that point in the set. He cared enough about that man to do all that, and He chose to do it through me. I didn't receive much praise or affirmation that night, but it didn't matter. I was on cloud nine just for being used by God in such an incredible way.
The story doesn't end there though. I was singing in a different coffee house about a year later. This night there was a good crowd. I was coming to the end of the set and decided to sing "My Father" to wrap things up. Instead of my usual testimony about writing the song, I felt lead to share the story about the night when I sang to one person. I encouraged people to use the moment to enter into an intimate time of worship and fellowship with God. At the end of the song something amazing happened. A man stood up in the back of the room. He identified himself as the same man from my one-person concert. He testified about how God brought restoration to his life after that concert. Then he introduced the woman next to him as his wife. He explained that God restored their marriage. I was so excited after that concert that I couldn't fall asleep. Now God had orchestrated for that man to be at my concert, just to show me the fruit of my ministry.
However, pride is not an issue that is exclusive to musicians. It is very easy to get wrapped up in recognition and affirmation, especially in the church. People often give in offerings and participate in ministries just to be noticed. People strive for more prominent positions within ministries. It is an interesting experiment to observe how members of a congregation treat the pastor (or other prominent leaders) compared to regular people in the church. How many people show up if the pastor needs help moving or painting his house? How many people show up if John Smith needs the same help? Our motives are often revealed by our actions (or reactions).
I believe that pride is the root of all sin. When asked to sum up the law Jesus said:
...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37b-40 ESV).
The actions listed in this passage are the opposite of pride. Pride focuses on and lifts up self. If you think about it, this is the issue at the heart of sin. During the commission of any sin a person is (at least temporarily) thinking of himself as being more important than God or other people. Their immediate need for self gratification (be it ever temporary) outweighs the consequences that the action will bear.
To further support the concept of pride being the root of all sin, we must study the history and origin of sin. Some would say that sin began in the garden of Eden when Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit. However, this fruit came from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In order for there to be such a tree, evil had to have already existed. This disobedient action of Adam and Eve introduced sin into the earth, but it does not mark the origin.
There are two accounts in the Bible of a being who was expelled from heaven due to the sin of pride. One is Ezekiel 28:11-19 which states:
Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God:“You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries; so I brought fire out from your midst; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever (ESV).”
Some would say that this passage is speaking about a man who was the king of Tyre due to the reference to the king in verse 12. They see it as a continuation of the prophecy made in verses 1-10. However, the statement made in verses 1-10 is applicable to a human. The being in those verses is even referred to as a man several times. There are, however, several statements made in verses 11-19 which are not applicable to a human. They refer to this being as an anointed guardian cherub (verse 14). There is also a reference to this cherub being located "in Eden, the garden of God" and "on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire..."(verses 13-14). The human king of Tyre was never in those locations. An interesting side note is that verse 1 begins with a command to speak over the "prince of Tyre" (other translations use the word ruler). Verse 11 contains a command to raise a lament over the "king of Tyre." This differentiation further suggests that the passages are discussing two different beings. The first is human king of Tyre and the second is the actual ruler of Tyre, the spiritual being who possessed the king.
Coming back to the verses we are studying (11-19), Ezekiel mentions, "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you ... Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor (verses 15 & 17)." So, we see that the sin which corrupted this cherub was pride.
The other passage is found in Isaiah chapter 14. Verses 12-15 state:
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit (ESV).
Again, some people believe this passage to be a literal reference to the human king of Babylon. However, this is a taunt that Israel is supposed to pronounce when it is restored as a nation. There were several kings ruling from the time when Israel was overthrown to the time when they were restored as a nation. Plus, it is impossible for a human to "ascend to heaven; above the stars of God (verse 13)" even with today's space technology. With the technology of Bible times it was also impossible for a human to "ascend above the heights of the clouds (verse 14)."
The Hebrew word heylel is translated Lucifer, Morning Star, Shining One or Day Star. This word is where we get the name Lucifer, use to refer to Satan before he was cast out of Heaven. Again in this passage, the sin that causes this being to be cast down is pride.
Bible is unclear as to the origin of Satan. It is clear that he was created. When describing Jesus, 1 Colossians 1:15-17 states:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (ESV).
However, the details of his creation (or that of the angels) are not mentioned in the Bible.
The Bible is also unclear as to the details of Satan's fall into sin. We know that everything that God makes is good. God is referred to as being holy (meaning perfect) several places in the Bible. Plus, in the creation account (in the book of Genesis) God observes His creation after each day and says that it is good. Therefore, if Satan was created by God, he must have originally existed as a being that was good. After accepting this, one could conclude that the point at which Satan became evil was the origin of sin.
Satan's expulsion from heaven is discussed in Revelation chapter 12. Verses 1-9 state:
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (ESV).
To further support the concept of pride being the root of all sin, we must study the history and origin of sin. Some would say that sin began in the garden of Eden when Eve and Adam ate the forbidden fruit. However, this fruit came from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In order for there to be such a tree, evil had to have already existed. This disobedient action of Adam and Eve introduced sin into the earth, but it does not mark the origin.
There are two accounts in the Bible of a being who was expelled from heaven due to the sin of pride. One is Ezekiel 28:11-19 which states:
Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord God:“You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence in your midst, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and I destroyed you, O guardian cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade you profaned your sanctuaries; so I brought fire out from your midst; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever (ESV).”
Some would say that this passage is speaking about a man who was the king of Tyre due to the reference to the king in verse 12. They see it as a continuation of the prophecy made in verses 1-10. However, the statement made in verses 1-10 is applicable to a human. The being in those verses is even referred to as a man several times. There are, however, several statements made in verses 11-19 which are not applicable to a human. They refer to this being as an anointed guardian cherub (verse 14). There is also a reference to this cherub being located "in Eden, the garden of God" and "on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire..."(verses 13-14). The human king of Tyre was never in those locations. An interesting side note is that verse 1 begins with a command to speak over the "prince of Tyre" (other translations use the word ruler). Verse 11 contains a command to raise a lament over the "king of Tyre." This differentiation further suggests that the passages are discussing two different beings. The first is human king of Tyre and the second is the actual ruler of Tyre, the spiritual being who possessed the king.
Coming back to the verses we are studying (11-19), Ezekiel mentions, "You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you ... Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor (verses 15 & 17)." So, we see that the sin which corrupted this cherub was pride.
The other passage is found in Isaiah chapter 14. Verses 12-15 state:
“How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to Sheol, to the far reaches of the pit (ESV).
Again, some people believe this passage to be a literal reference to the human king of Babylon. However, this is a taunt that Israel is supposed to pronounce when it is restored as a nation. There were several kings ruling from the time when Israel was overthrown to the time when they were restored as a nation. Plus, it is impossible for a human to "ascend to heaven; above the stars of God (verse 13)" even with today's space technology. With the technology of Bible times it was also impossible for a human to "ascend above the heights of the clouds (verse 14)."
The Hebrew word heylel is translated Lucifer, Morning Star, Shining One or Day Star. This word is where we get the name Lucifer, use to refer to Satan before he was cast out of Heaven. Again in this passage, the sin that causes this being to be cast down is pride.
Bible is unclear as to the origin of Satan. It is clear that he was created. When describing Jesus, 1 Colossians 1:15-17 states:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together (ESV).
However, the details of his creation (or that of the angels) are not mentioned in the Bible.
The Bible is also unclear as to the details of Satan's fall into sin. We know that everything that God makes is good. God is referred to as being holy (meaning perfect) several places in the Bible. Plus, in the creation account (in the book of Genesis) God observes His creation after each day and says that it is good. Therefore, if Satan was created by God, he must have originally existed as a being that was good. After accepting this, one could conclude that the point at which Satan became evil was the origin of sin.
Satan's expulsion from heaven is discussed in Revelation chapter 12. Verses 1-9 state:
And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (ESV).
The description of Satan being "thrown down to the earth" in this passage is very similar to the being who is cast from the mountain of God in Ezekiel 28 and "fallen from heaven" in Isaiah 14. The purpose of this book is not to debate whether these two Old Testament passages are actually describing the fall of Satan. However, if they are (which many scholars believe to be true), then the origin of sin was an act of pride.
As mentioned earlier in this chapter, pride can change your motives and corrupt your focus. This last section illustrates how pride can have an even more damaging effect. If left untreated, it can eventually redefine your identity, and even destroy you. This is another evidence behind my statement that pride is the root of all sin. Since God is holy, sin is opposed to Him. Pride seems to act as a door that shuts God off from being Lord of our lives and leads us to further sin.
As a musician, finding my true singing voice (and saxophone tone) redefined my musical identity. As Christians our identity is that we are followers of Christ. We are daily developing a personal and intimate relationship with God. We are allowing Him to point out areas of our life that need improvement and constantly seeking His help and direction to make that improvement. We are not perfect, but our heart desires to be. Even when we mess up, we are willing to admit it, ask for forgiveness and repent. This is the definition of a personal relationship with God. It is the definition of Christianity.
However, pride does not allow any of this to happen. A prideful person will not see or accept that there are areas of his life that need improvement. This leaves no room for the Holy Spirit to mold and shape that individual into the person that God intends him to be. Therefore, any sin or shortcomings a person may have will be facilitated and preserved by pride.
There is nothing more unfortunate than a person not becoming what he was intended to be. Thinking back to that passage in Ezekiel 28, one can see an illustration of this. Remember, the writer was asked to raise a lamentation, not a rebuke. The passage remarks at how wonderfully this being was created and the high position in which he was placed. Then it mentions how low he is cast down after pride allowed sin to take root. The passage ends stating, "All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever (verse 19 ESV)." When you read it this way, the passage almost seems like one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
One of the most quoted scripture on pride is Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (ESV)." Notice that this scripture mentions a fall, and all three passages (Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14 and Revelation 12) discussed earlier depict Satan (or some being) falling from Heaven. Dictionary.com's first definition of pride is, "a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc." Pride causes people to attempt to lift up or exalt themselves. However, according to the Bible, it results in the opposite effect. Instead of being lifted up, a proud person is brought down. This is confirmed in Matthew 23:12 which states, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (ESV)."
The other word that stands out in Proverbs 16:18 is destruction. Pride will not only make you fall, it will ultimately destroy you. Why is this? Let's come back to that idea of a person not becoming what he was intended to be. What happens when you continually use something for a task that is outside its intended purpose? In many cases, it will become damaged or destroyed. For example, if you regularly use an ordinary car as a tow truck it will eventually break down. If you use an electronic device (that is not waterproof) under water it will break. In the same way, if we resist the original design that God intended for us, we will eventually be destroyed. This is accelerated by the fact that God actually resists this type of action. The latter parts of both James 4:6 and 1Peter 5:5 say, "...God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (ESV)." In both cases the writers are quoting Proverbs 3:34.
My vocal misuse led to damage. Thankfully, God led me to a doctor who correctly diagnosed my condition and a vocal therapist who helped me begin to recover. Then, He led me to study music at a deeper level and purchase a tenor saxophone that revolutionized my approach to tone production. I hate to think of what may have happened to my voice if these things did not take place.
As stated earlier, pride prevents us from being molded and shaped by God. If a person is not being molded and shaped by God, is he a follower of Christ? If a person is not a follower of Christ, is he a Christian?
As mentioned earlier in this chapter, pride can change your motives and corrupt your focus. This last section illustrates how pride can have an even more damaging effect. If left untreated, it can eventually redefine your identity, and even destroy you. This is another evidence behind my statement that pride is the root of all sin. Since God is holy, sin is opposed to Him. Pride seems to act as a door that shuts God off from being Lord of our lives and leads us to further sin.
As a musician, finding my true singing voice (and saxophone tone) redefined my musical identity. As Christians our identity is that we are followers of Christ. We are daily developing a personal and intimate relationship with God. We are allowing Him to point out areas of our life that need improvement and constantly seeking His help and direction to make that improvement. We are not perfect, but our heart desires to be. Even when we mess up, we are willing to admit it, ask for forgiveness and repent. This is the definition of a personal relationship with God. It is the definition of Christianity.
However, pride does not allow any of this to happen. A prideful person will not see or accept that there are areas of his life that need improvement. This leaves no room for the Holy Spirit to mold and shape that individual into the person that God intends him to be. Therefore, any sin or shortcomings a person may have will be facilitated and preserved by pride.
There is nothing more unfortunate than a person not becoming what he was intended to be. Thinking back to that passage in Ezekiel 28, one can see an illustration of this. Remember, the writer was asked to raise a lamentation, not a rebuke. The passage remarks at how wonderfully this being was created and the high position in which he was placed. Then it mentions how low he is cast down after pride allowed sin to take root. The passage ends stating, "All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever (verse 19 ESV)." When you read it this way, the passage almost seems like one of Shakespeare's tragedies.
One of the most quoted scripture on pride is Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (ESV)." Notice that this scripture mentions a fall, and all three passages (Ezekiel 28, Isaiah 14 and Revelation 12) discussed earlier depict Satan (or some being) falling from Heaven. Dictionary.com's first definition of pride is, "a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc." Pride causes people to attempt to lift up or exalt themselves. However, according to the Bible, it results in the opposite effect. Instead of being lifted up, a proud person is brought down. This is confirmed in Matthew 23:12 which states, "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted (ESV)."
The other word that stands out in Proverbs 16:18 is destruction. Pride will not only make you fall, it will ultimately destroy you. Why is this? Let's come back to that idea of a person not becoming what he was intended to be. What happens when you continually use something for a task that is outside its intended purpose? In many cases, it will become damaged or destroyed. For example, if you regularly use an ordinary car as a tow truck it will eventually break down. If you use an electronic device (that is not waterproof) under water it will break. In the same way, if we resist the original design that God intended for us, we will eventually be destroyed. This is accelerated by the fact that God actually resists this type of action. The latter parts of both James 4:6 and 1Peter 5:5 say, "...God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (ESV)." In both cases the writers are quoting Proverbs 3:34.
My vocal misuse led to damage. Thankfully, God led me to a doctor who correctly diagnosed my condition and a vocal therapist who helped me begin to recover. Then, He led me to study music at a deeper level and purchase a tenor saxophone that revolutionized my approach to tone production. I hate to think of what may have happened to my voice if these things did not take place.
As stated earlier, pride prevents us from being molded and shaped by God. If a person is not being molded and shaped by God, is he a follower of Christ? If a person is not a follower of Christ, is he a Christian?
No comments:
Post a Comment