Year of Realization – Day 42: Pride goes before destruction.
“However, he restrained himself and went on home. Then Haman gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials.”
Esther 5:10-11 NLT
It nearly kept Naman from being healed from leprosy; it led to the destruction of King Uzziah, King Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and most tragic of all, to the fall of Lucifer. What is it that brought down these people, one mighty angel, and so many more? The answer is pride.
“Everyone who is proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; Be assured he will not go unpunished.”
Proverbs 16:5 AMP
Pride can keep people from entering into the Kingdom of God. Indeed, pride leads to all manner of evil. That is why the word of God warns against being proud.
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
I John 2:15-17 NKJV
On the other hand, those who are humble before the Lord, are blessed with an abundance of grace.
“But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].” Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose].”
James 4:6, 10 AMP
And—speaking of pride—in our opening scripture we see that Haman is so full of himself that he’s just got to take out a little time to brag to his family and friends. Little does he know what lay ahead; he’s blinded by the light of his own “glory.”
The Lord does not expect—nor require us—to be self-deprecating; it’s just a matter of remembering that our Source of strength—and of everything else—is not found within ourselves. That designation belongs only to the Lord.