Proverbs 14:3, "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride."
Today we talk about the third tool that can pull down our home.
3. PRIDE
Proverbs 15:25, "The Lord will destroy the house of the proud."
God hates pride. It is always destructive. Yet how easily we succumb to this sin. Sometimes women feel ashamed if their house is poorer than their friends' homes. They want to keep up with the Joneses. They want their children to wear designer clothes. They want them to go to the best schools and best colleges. They want them to have degrees after their names. How are they going to do this?
Maybe they will be lured into the workforce to gain these aspirations. But the root of it all is pride. Instead of bringing blessing, it weakens home life. Children can enjoy a richer life and receive more blessings by having a contented mother in the home than wearing designer clothes and living in a fancier home. Learning to be content is not easy but it is one of the godliest lessons we can teach our children. 1 Timothy 6:6 reminds us that "Godliness with contentment is great gain." Of course, the only way we can teach it is by example.
We definitely don't need all the things we think we need. We can live on a tenth of the stuff we think we need! Nor do our children need all the things they think they want. I am always challenged by the words of Nehemiah, "You gave your good Spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst. Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing." (Nehemiah 9:20-21, Deuteronomy 8:3-4 and 29:5)
What did they have in the wilderness? God faithfully provided food and water and miraculously kept their clothes and shoes from wearing out. But they lived in temporary tents. They had none of the modern conveniences that fill our homes today. They had to TVs. No décor. No running water or instant electricity. And yet God said they lacked nothing.
Proverbs 17:19 says, "He that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction." Matthew Henry comments on this Scripture: "He that exalts his gate, builds a stately house, at least a fine frontispiece, that he may outshine his neighbors, seeks his own destruction."
We know how Satan's pride wrought havoc and destruction in God's heavenly home. When we read about this in Isaiah 14:12-15 we notice that this pride not only caused Satan to be cast out of heaven but he became the one to "weaken the nations." Pride does not build up a home. It weakens a home. It tears it down.
May God help us to remember that each time we put on a proud look, speak prideful words and hold on to our stubbornness, we tear down our home a little more. Eventually we will destroy relationships altogether.
Proverbs 16:18-19 says, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud." Through divorce, many wives and husbands divide the spoil of their homes as their home folds up. The marriage is destroyed and consequently the children's lives are negatively affected--all because of pride! Too proud to say sorry. Too proud to ask for forgiveness. Too proud to take the humble attitude. Too proud to change.
Pride is a bitter pill.
Pride is all about self! Humility is all about serving. Are we building up our home or tearing it down?
Love from NANCY CAMPBELL
P.S. There are more Scriptures for you to check out below!
PRAYER:
"Oh God, please show me the hideousness of pride in my life. Save me from tearing down my home because of my stubbornness and pride. Amen."
AFFIRMATION:
I've decided to take the humble road,
It's the "blessing way" for my abode.
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Dec. 10, 2008 - Untitled Comment