Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18 (HCSB)
Have you ever wondered if things could get worse than they already are? After Stella’s best friend had left her, and her parents had vanished with a poof, Stella didn’t think anything could be worse than what had already happened, but than Mindy showed up and Stella’s poisonous tongue started talking again..
As the story goes, Cindy’s identical twin sister Mindy was bored so she went looking for a friend and when she did, it was Stella she found. When Stella saw her she became very angry. “I Hate You,” she said. “You better go and tell Bernadette you won’t be her friend any more and that she better come back to me right NOW before I slug her in the nose”
Now Mindy had no idea who Stella was or why she was yelling at her. When she tried to ask Stella who she was, Stella snapped back “You know who I am Miss Windy.” “Windy? My name isn’t Windy,” Mindy told her but Stella wouldn’t believe her. “Windy, Cindy I don’t care you took Bernadette away from me and I want her back NOW!”
Now it was Mindy’s turn to get angry. “Excuse me Miss Know It All,” she said, “My name is not Windy, nor is it Cindy. My name is Mindy Miller. Aren’t there any nice people in this town?” Instead of listening and believing her, Stella got even angrier and said something next she later wished she had never said.
“You are not Mindy! You’re Cindy and you took Bernadette away from me. I know you did, and I’m always right! If I’m wrong let God strike me dead.” As soon as Stella had finished saying those words Cindy showed up and called Mindy by her name. When Stella saw Cindy she began too shake with fear.
As Mindy and Cindy headed for home Stella over heard them talking about how mean she was and how neat her brother Harold was. Than she heard one of them say she didn’t think she was a Christian and that God couldn’t love a person like her. Hearing that, Stella started to cry and she cried and cried and cried until she fell fast asleep.
How often do we let pride get the best of us. In her pride, Stella thought she could never be wrong. In her pride, Stella said things she should never have said. In her pride, Stella fell and now she sleeps.
In his pride, Nebuchadnezzar said "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?" ... and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. - Daniel 4
In his pride, Goliath said "Do you think I am a dog, that you come at me with a stick?, Come here. I’ll feed your body to the birds of the air and the wild animals!" ... and he fell face down on the ground where David cut off his head with his own sword. - 1 Samuel 17
In his pride, Haman thought to himself, “Whom would the king want to honor more than me?“ ... And he was required to honor Mordecai the Jew whom he hated - Esther 6
For those of us that want to hold onto our pride, we need to think of pride's rewards.
- A man's pride will bring him low, - Proverbs 29:23a (NAS)
- When pride comes, then comes disgrace, - Proverbs 11:2a (ESV)
- Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. - Proverbs 16:18 (HCSB)
On the other hand, if we so desire to humble ourselves, we can be encouraged by humility's rewards
- The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life. - Proverbs 22:4 (ESV)
- Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 18:4 (ESV)
- Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. - James 4:10 (NAS)
Here's Something to Ponder
- Have I examined myself for pesky pride
- Will I humble myself before God and one another
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