Posted on 04/10/2022 11:44:15 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2 KJV).
“When pride cometh,” and it doesn’t take very long for it to come, does it.
“Then cometh shame,” that’s just the result of pride. Satan, as Lucifer, was doing all right until he just decided that he wanted to it his way. He said, “I will ascend above the stars of God,” and “I’ll set my throne above the throne of God,” well, shame soon followed when he was cast out of the presence of God. As we see in Isaiah 14, “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” (Isa 14:13-15 KJV).
“When pride cometh, then cometh shame,” take Nebuchadnezzar. He said, “My great kingdom, and I’ve got this think under control.” And about that time, he lost it all. “When pride cometh, then cometh shame.”
“but with the lowly is wisdom,” consider these verses:
“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:12 KJV). This is just an axiom of life—a principle of life—a person that is humble is one that will yield to God. Moses was a meek man. He got mad at God, but he always yielded to God. He would do God’s work in God’s way. Now there were times that he would get mad at God, and take matters into his own hands, but he would always come back to the Lord. He would calm down and get himself collected. David was the same way. David was a strong man, and a man that made mistakes, but he always came back to God. He had enough humility where he recognized his sin, and recognized his disobedience, and he would repent to get right with God. “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
I do not find anywhere in the Bible where the Bible tells us to pray for humility. Pious people do that. The Bible always says to “humble yourself.” (Mat 23). “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (Jas 4:10 KJV). It is our job to do that. It is our job to confess our sins—it’s not God’s duty other than to show us our sin—it is our job to get right and to stay right with God. God leaves that all up to us, it is our responsibility. The person that prays for humility only proves that he has no humility. Now, God can humble us. He can certainly do a better job.
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1Pe 5:5-6 KJV).
“Who is able to stand before envy?” (Proverbs 27:4). Envy is a terrible thing, but usually when someone is envious, they think they deserve something better than what they got, and that’s usually connected with pride. They think that they are somebody, and that they are something, and they feel they deserve better than anyone else—so they are envious of others—it all hinges on pride.
Pride is the real first sin, as we see in Ezekiel, chapter 28 and Isaiah 14, dealing with the Devil--pride was found in his heart, and haughtiness, “when pride cometh, then cometh shame, but with the lowly is wisdom.” A humble man when he doesn’t know something will admit that he doesn’t know it, but is willing to listen. He’ll say, “I don’t really understand, but will you show me.” You take a proud person, you can’t tell them anything.
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