Pride

“When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” —Proverbs 11:2

Pride was the principle of the fall (Gen 3:5), and therefore the native principle of fallen man (Mar 7:22). When pride had stripped us of our honour, then, not till then, cometh shame (Gen 3:7, with 2:25). This is the wise discipline of our God to scourge the one by the other. The Babel-builders (Gen 11:4), Miriam (Num 12:2, 10), Uzziah (2Ch 26:16-21), Haman (Est 5:11; 7:10), Nebuchadnezzar (Dan 4:29-32), Herod (Act 12:22-23)—all are instances of shame treading upon the heels of pride. Even in common life, a man will never attempt to raise himself above his own level—but then cometh shame (Luk 14:11), the most revolting recompense. And thus our God puts to shame the man who knows not his bounds, and who refuses to stand on the low ground on which He has placed him. “Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased” (Luk 18:14; Isa 2:17).

Such is the folly of pride. With the lowly is wisdom. What a splendour of wisdom shone in the lowly Child, “sitting at the doctors’ feet, astonishing them at his understanding and his answers!” (Luk 2:47). And will not this spirit be to us the path of wisdom? For the Divine Teacher “reveals to the babes, what he hides from the wise and prudent” (Luk 10:21). There is no greater proof of proud folly, than believing only what we understand. Faith is thus grounded on knowledge, not on testimony—as if the Word of God could not be implicitly received except as corroborated by other witnesses. Happy is that lowliness of spirit that comes to God’s revelation, as it were, without any will or mind of our own—humbly receiving what He is pleased to give; but willing, yea, thankful, to be ignorant when He forbids us to intrude (Col 2:18)!