A Life in Exile

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.  

Proverbs 16:18 NIV

How can such an ancient proverb be so universally ignored? Could it be because the root of all sin is pride?

I’m willing to take a chance the answer is yes.

I love the title of John Wesley’s book of 1777, “A Plain Account of Christian Perfection.” Though few could claim to achieve perfection, it is important to note the first thing to hinder such a goal is pride. Look at this wise word he gives:

The first advice I would give to those who have been saved from sin by grace is to watch and pray continually against pride.

John Wesley, A Plain Account of Christian Perfection

Though easy to spot in others, we as believers sometimes find it difficult to spot pride in ourselves, because false humility becomes just another way pride disguises itself in our lives.

Pride is alive and well in us all, and there’s only one cure—lay it at Jesus’s feet. Wesley suggests the same. We are to always watch and pray against it because pride proves to be a sneaky vice.

Pride raises its head in statements and thoughts like:

“I did do that well, didn’t I?”

“My children are so well-behaved. I raised them well.”

“I am top of my class because I worked hard.”

“I’m so pleased my post on Facebook got so much attention. I made a good point.”

“I do deserve a raise, don’t I?”

Innocuous, hardly noticed by the world around us, pride sneaks in and becomes a tapeworm in our soul, gradually growing until we’ve strangled God completely out.

Don’t go there—watch and pray.

Grace and Peace