Tuesday, April 26, 2016

The Hook in Pride

Reflections for this date are based on the following scripture passages:
John 20 Deuteronomy 8

Pride, once considered by the church to be one of the "Seven Deadly Sins," is defined as an "excessive view of one's self without regard to others." Or also defined as "a feeling or deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements." We readily see the pitfall in pride of having a disregard for others. In so doing, we fall short of the second part of the Great Commandment Jesus spoke of which sums up all of the commandments given through Moses. That is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27) The second part of this commandment obviously being a disregard for our neighbor. But the greatest "hook" in pride has to do with the first part of this Great Commandment which is to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart."

As the Israelites prepared to enter the land God had promised them, Moses reminded them that they were not to "forget the LORD your God by failing to keep His commands." Not only did God promise to give them victory over the nations that lived in the land of promise, enabling them to take possession of the land, but He promised to prosper them in their new home. But Moses gave them a caution, "You may say to yourself, 'My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me.'"

The greatest risk in pride is that it can cause us to credit ourselves for what God has done and thereby turning away from God and forgetting Him, failing to worship and follow Him. Though in our modern society we may not be inclined to worship idols as was the common practice among the nations at the time of Moses, pride can also do what idolatry does which is to give credit elsewhere for what God has done.

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