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Pride [goes] before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18 NKJV
If you read the title above and thought, That’s not what the Bible says, give yourself a pat on the back. This is one of those often misquoted verses like “money is the root of all evil” (it’s actually “the love of money,” 1 Timothy 6:10) or “cleanliness is next to godliness” (okay, that’s not in the Bible at all).
Proverbs 16:18 clearly states that pride goes before destruction; it’s a haughty spirit that precedes a fall. While we should always be careful to quote scripture accurately, in this case a little mixing and matching seems harmless enough. The Proverbs often make their point by restating an idea in parallel terms—“pride” and “a haughty spirit” are essentially the same thing. So are “destruction” and “a fall.” Let’s be sure we avoid them all!
Pride is the sin that turned Lucifer into the devil. It’s the desire that caused Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. It’s the ambition that tripped up countless Bible characters and billions of human beings throughout history. And God hates it (Proverbs 8:13).
So how do we avoid pride? With a regular, conscious effort to chip away the crust that’s baked onto our hearts. Here’s a helpful verse to remember: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6).
Prayer: Lord God, turn my self-praise into praise of You. Only You are worthy.
If you read the title above and thought, That’s not what the Bible says, give yourself a pat on the back. This is one of those often misquoted verses like “money is the root of all evil” (it’s actually “the love of money,” 1 Timothy 6:10) or “cleanliness is next to godliness” (okay, that’s not in the Bible at all).
Proverbs 16:18 clearly states that pride goes before destruction; it’s a haughty spirit that precedes a fall. While we should always be careful to quote scripture accurately, in this case a little mixing and matching seems harmless enough. The Proverbs often make their point by restating an idea in parallel terms—“pride” and “a haughty spirit” are essentially the same thing. So are “destruction” and “a fall.” Let’s be sure we avoid them all!
Pride is the sin that turned Lucifer into the devil. It’s the desire that caused Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. It’s the ambition that tripped up countless Bible characters and billions of human beings throughout history. And God hates it (Proverbs 8:13).
So how do we avoid pride? With a regular, conscious effort to chip away the crust that’s baked onto our hearts. Here’s a helpful verse to remember: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6).
Prayer: Lord God, turn my self-praise into praise of You. Only You are worthy.
