Pride, Prejudice and The Fall
None of us is exempt from sin. All of us suffer as a result of our sins. That “the sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; [while] the sins of others trail behind them”, 1 Tim. 5:24, NIV, should cause us to prostrate ourselves before God at His mercy. But that rarely happens. Instead, pride usually sets in in people’s hearts.
When prides sets in, self deception isn’t too far behind. It has been said, you should never believe your own press. I learned this secret years ago. And I was a master at building positive press and ads. Often, I surprised myself at how good they were. I could take a sow’s ear and turn it into a silk purse.
The problem? Clients started believing their own press. Pride followed shortly thereafter. And what I did with the pen, through pride in the hearts of men and women, placed them on the slippery slope of self destruction. It always ended badly. Sin becomes exceedingly sinful in an environment of pride. Rom. 7:13.
"Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful." Romans 7:13
Today, I see a lot of positive press but little spiritual power. My suggestion is we should weigh our own press less and less and believe in what the power says about us, “[f]or the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power (dynamis).” 1 Cor. 4:20.
The next time we start thinking about how much the Apostle Paul would learn from us, we should keep in mind that it’s likely we wouldn’t even be admitted in his class. I doubt if most ministers today are even ready for his remedial class.
Then, we might avoid thinking more highly of ourselves than we should, and stop and consider for a second who we are and where we really stand before God. Then, we might swallow a slice of humble pie and take the right dosage of a case of humility.
-Dr Scott Wallis
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