6/3/17

Pride in our heart; it's companions and consequences

THE HUMAN HEART—Pride
Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18)

COMPANIONS OF PRIDE
A. Haughtiness (18:12: 21:4: 16:18). Haughtiness (arrogance, aloofness) is being disdainfully or contemptuously proud. Pride from our heart shows contempt for others because from the outside it seems obvious what that person should do - yet we are blind to our own problems.
 - Before disaster, the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance (18:12)
B. Scoffing (21:24). Why does he scoff? It is his way of letting you know his superiority and your inferiority.
 - acts with overbearing (egotistic, autocratic/dictatorial) and insolent (rude) pride. (21:24)C. Boasting (27:2; 20:6: 17:19). Pride’s greatest fear is that someone else will not notice the greatness it sees in itself. Therefore, it boasts of itself.

I. PRIDE VS. GOD
A. Pride is the Ultimate Sin Against God (3:5-7). It is the assumption that man is self-sufficient and important enough to compete with God’s greatness. magnitude. strength and wisdom.
- Fear the Lord [with reverent (respectful, worshipful) awe (wonder) and obedience (submission, compliance, willingness)]
- And turn away from evil (sin, crime, wrong, darkness, disaster, injury, harm)

B. Pride Opposes the First Principle of Wisdom (8:13: 15:33: 22:4). That principle is the ‘fear of the Lord.”
How does it oppose this principle?
 - 22:4, The reward of humility [that is, having a realistic view of one’s importance] and the [reverent, worshipful] fear of the Lord Is riches, honor, and life.
 - Very important, but not most important
 - Jesus demonstrated humility,  emptied himself, being a bondservant, likeness of man Philippians 2:7, was homeless (Luke 9:58), for our sake become poor, through his poverty we become rich (2 Cor 8:9), he prayed earnestly for us (Heb 5:7, John 17), he was the greatest servant leader (Luke 22:27), he ate with outcasts (Luke 15:1-2), didn't look to men for glory (John 5:41), would not accept promotion (John 6:15), he washed his students feet (John 6:38)

C. Pride is an Abomination to God (16:5; 6:16.19). It claims honor for itself, but only God can bestow honor and He does so in response to man’s humility rather than his pride (29:23; 15:33).
 - (16:5) Everyone who is proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting and exceedingly offensive (displeasing, insulting) to the Lord; Be assured he will not go unpunished.
 - A proud look [the attitude that makes one overestimate oneself and discount others]. Wowza, it's mid-year review time....

II. CONSEQUENCES OF PRIDE
A. Shame (11:2:25:27). It is ironic that pride seeks glory for itself, yet receives shame.
 - (11:2) When pride comes [boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance], then come dishonor and shame,
But with the humble [the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God] there is wisdom and soundness of mind.

B. Contention (13:10: 28:25). What kinds of relationships experience conflict, strife, and contention because of pride? Work relationships, home relationships, family, community, strangers on social media (Kathy Giffin beheading Trump)...

C. Destruction (15:25: 16:18-19: 18:12). God brings the man who challenges Him to ruin. He has no need to even compete with man for glory.

Thanks to Rob Harbison for sharing this excellent study on Proverbs
http://www.padfield.com/acrobat/harbison/proverbs-rh.pdf
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