{"id":3050,"date":"2015-07-07T00:00:24","date_gmt":"2015-07-07T07:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/?p=3050"},"modified":"2016-01-25T23:34:06","modified_gmt":"2016-01-26T06:34:06","slug":"77-the-dangers-of-pride","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/07\/07\/77-the-dangers-of-pride\/","title":{"rendered":"7\/7: The Dangers of Pride (\u7bb416:18-27 \u5f9225:23-26:23 \u738b\u4e0b14:23-15:38 )"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u7bb416:18-27 \u5f9225:23-26:23 \u738b\u4e0b14:23-15:38<\/h2>\n

The Dangers of Pride<\/h2>\n
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I remember a time when I was working as a lawyer. A few cases had gone really well and I was sitting on a train on the way to court thinking I had a very straightforward case that I was bound to win. I was so confident I decided that it was not worth even bothering to pray about it or commit it to the Lord.<\/p>\n

When I stood up to speak, the judge asked me whether I was aware of a case that had changed the law in the last few days. I was not. The result was a very humiliating defeat. As the passage in Proverbs today warns, pride had come before a fall.<\/p>\n

In my embarrassment I cried out to God for help. I read the case, which at that stage was only reported in The Times<\/em>, and wrote an opinion saying I thought the decision was wrong and would be reversed on appeal. Thankfully, it was.<\/p>\n

We were able to go back to court and get the order we needed. The solicitor, rather than judging me for my mistake, was kind enough to be impressed by the opinion I had written and sent me many more cases. So it became a double lesson; not just about the dangers of pride but also about the extraordinary grace of God and how \u2018things work out when you trust in God\u2019 (Proverbs 16:20, MSG).<\/p>\n

I try not to forget the lesson I learnt about the dangers of pride and self-reliance whenever I stand up to speak. I would like to say that I have never made the same mistake again but it is a lesson that I have had to re-learn several times.<\/p>\n

In English, the word \u2018pride\u2019 can have a good sense. For example, we would not say it is wrong for a person to be proud of their children, or to take pride in their work. However, when the Bible talks about pride it means something different from this and has very negative connotations.<\/p>\n

It means to have an excessively high opinion of one\u2019s own worth or importance; it suggests arrogant or overbearing conduct. It is the independent spirit that says, \u2018I have no need of God.\u2019 Arguably, therefore, it is at the root of all sin. How should we respond to the temptation and dangers of pride?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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1. Cultivate humility<\/h2>\n

Proverbs 16:18-27<\/a>God wants you to learn to walk in humility and kindness, not arrogance and pride. Pride comes before a fall: \u2018First pride, then the crash \u2013 the bigger the ego, the harder the fall\u2019 (v.18, MSG).<\/p>\n

We are reminded that \u2018It\u2019s better to live humbly among the poor than to live it up among the rich and famous\u2019 (v.19, MSG).<\/p>\n

A lack of power is very frustrating at times when we think we know how best to advance the kingdom of God. However, Jesus had very little power from a human point of view. He was \u2018lowly in spirit and among the oppressed\u2019 (v.19).<\/p>\n

In this passage we see that this \u2018lowliness of spirit\u2019, which is the opposite of pride, is associated with a number of things:<\/p>\n