Today's Verse

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. — Proverbs 16:18 NKJV

Devotion

As Christians, we want to stay on the pathway that leads to the destiny God has for us. To put it another way, we want to stay on the pathway that is defined by the will of God for us. To put it another way again, we want to stay on the pathway that Jesus is traversing ahead of us and pointing out to us. In other words, we want to live our lives as Christians, we want to do what Christians are supposed to do, however you summarize what it means. It follows that we also want to avoid anything that could keep this from happening in our lives.

What could keep this from happening? Our verse for today tells us about the main thing. It tells us about pride. Pride could keep us from the destiny God has for us. Pride could keep us from obeying the will of God for us. And pride could keep us from following Jesus. Pride, ultimately and at bottom, is the one thing that always comes before destruction, the one thing that always comes before a fall. (James 4:6) Pride, as a result, is the main thing that we should avoid if we want to stay on the pathway that leads to the life we were meant to live as Christians.

If pride is the one thing that we should avoid, then humility is the one thing that we should embrace. Humility will release us into the destiny God has for us. Humility will release us to obey the will of God for us. And humility will release us to follow Jesus wherever He goes. Humility, ultimately and at bottom, is the one thing that always comes before true success in life, the one thing that always comes before being lifted up in life. (John 15:5) Humility, as a result, is the one thing we should embrace if we want to stay on the pathway that leads to the life we were meant to live.

The reason why is clear. The pathway of life that we should follow, however you describe it, is a pathway laid out by God, not us. God defines what it means, not us. God sets its goals and parameters, not us. Humility is required because we must submit to God's way, not our own way.

Humility is required because God is above us, not below us.