The Proud

The Proud

(Prov 16:5 NIV) The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

Here Solomon tells us that the Lord detests the proud of heart. Now, let’s be clear on how strong of a word Solomon used to describe the Lord’s feelings here. The Hebrew word used for “detests” is a word that means: something that is disgusting; an abomination; an abhorrence.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “GOD can't stomach arrogance or pretense; believe me, he'll put those upstarts in their place.” The sense is that God is literally moved negatively when He deals with individuals who operate in pride. Why? Because the prideful person has taken God’s place in their lives.

When I first gave my life to Christ I was told that I needed to fill two positions every day: the cross and the throne. If I put myself on the throne, then that means that I am in control of my own life, making my own decisions, my own way, and living my life without God. If I am on the throne, then Jesus is still on the cross and dead to me. However, if God is on the throne in my life, then it means that I acknowledge His Lordship.

It’s not that I am a puppet and He makes all the decisions, but I do involve Him in what I do and I recognize my need of Him. The person with God on the throne in their lives says, “I need God and without Him and I am nothing.” Since God is on the throne, then it means that we have chosen the cross. We take up our cross daily to follow Him.

Taking up our cross means that there will be times that we have to change our plans, because of God’s. There will be times when our agenda will need to be rearranged, because God’s agenda will take priority.

That’s OK, because we have chosen to live under His Lordship and Leadership! When we live this way the Father is well pleased with us, unlike the person described in our text.

Pride is what got satan kicked out of heaven. Isaiah tells us what happened, saying, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, which did destroy nations! For you have said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14). What do you see in those verses? Not only did satan have an excessively high opinion of himself – which we all need to be careful of – but satan also sought to place himself on the throne of his life. He did not want to worship the Lord, he wanted to be the Lord of his own life.

Remember, you can’t make God the Lord of only one portion of your life. Either Jehovah is Lord of all or He is not Lord at all! Satan was evicted from heaven and he now uses this same pride to infest the minds of people all over the world. Pride is one of satan’s three primary tactics. Satan’s “big three” are: 1) the lust of the flesh, 2) the lust of the eyes, and 3) the pride of life (1st John 2:16); don’t allow yourself to be ensnared by them.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you need to be careful to fill those positions (the cross and the throne) correctly daily. The Father wants you to be confident, but not arrogant.

There is a thin line between confidence and arrogance and even the best of us cross that line from time to time.

The Godly confident person says, “I can do all things through Christ” (Phil 4:13), but the arrogant/prideful person says, “I can do all things on my own. I don’t need God.” Later in this chapter Solomon says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (v.18). Don’t allow pride to cause you to be on the wrong side of God.

Father, I acknowledge the fact that I need You daily. You alone are the Lord of my life. You alone rule and reign over me. You alone sit on the throne in my life. It is in You that I live and move and have my being. I operate in, with, and through You and without You I am nothing. I depend on You and I know that You depend on me. You fill the throne position and I fill the cross position. I die to self daily and I put Your will, Your Word, and Your ways above my own. I can do all things with Your help and I enter this day with You in me, on me, with me, and for me. You are on my side and I am glad about it! In Jesus’ name. Amen!