Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Let me give you the
history of pride in three small chapters.
The beginning of pride
was in heaven.
The continuance of
pride is on earth.
The end of pride is in
hell.
This history shows how
inconvenient it is
There are so many quotes about
pride that we must realise just how much of a sin it is.
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen said,
“Pride is the king of vices. . . it is the first of the pallbearers of the
soul. . . other vices destroy only their opposite virtues, as wantonness
destroys chastity; greed destroys temperance; anger destroys gentleness; but
PRIDE DESTROYS ALL VIRTUES” (emphasis mine).
Do you know who I am? How
often have we heard this question? My stock answer is usually, erm....
Sometimes I don’t even know who I am so why would I
know you? Some people are so full of pride they cannot understand that not
everyone knows them. Sometimes in these a person may indeed know them but
choose not to acknowledge them. Pride has a way of causing others to ignore you
because pride suggests the other person is inferior.
There is only one who really
knows who we are. He died so that we could become more than we were. The only
living God, who came in a human body to live and die to reconcile us to the
Father is the only one who knows everything about us.
Almighty God knows us so
well that He understands our weaknesses and frailties but still loves us with
an incomprehensible love. We are His masterpiece,
His treasure and we should not hold ourselves as being any better than any
other work of His hands.
"Pride, the idolatrous
worship of self, is the national religion of hell."
Prayer
Creator Father, maker of all
that is through Your Word, who is Jesus Christ. You made all humankind in Your
own image so let us not think of ourselves as better or worse than anyone else.
Help us to be aware of the talents and gifts of those around us, each of which
is just as important to the tasks You set before us as those of our neighbour.
Thank You for the gift that is unique to us so that we may serve You with all
our ability and to Your glory, amen.
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