Introduction to the month of January
We do not preach a lot of sermons from Proverbs, but it is not Solomon’s fault. He was inspired by God to write these proverbs and God preserved them for us. Since all Scriptures speak of Christ (how He saved us and how He sanctifies us for His glory) then we must find Christ in them. It is our fault therefore that we do not preach more from Proverbs.
One of the reasons we likely have not heard more preaching from Proverbs is that the book is seen as a list of morals. And since we insist on historical, redemptive preaching, Proverbs doesn’t seem to fit well into that way of preaching. Well, maybe it is hard to preach Proverbs, but we must be bold. We must dig into Proverbs and learn of our salvation and sanctification through Jesus Christ. This is what we will do this month.
I hope after this month you will take more time to dig into this book regularly and see the rich doctrines it contains and illustrates. Let God’s Word bless you.
Proverbs on pride
“By pride comes nothing but strife…” – Proverbs 13:10a
Scripture reading: Proverbs 21:1-5
Do you enjoy being around a humble person, someone with a gentle spirit? You feel safe around him. But it is most difficult to be around a show-off or egomaniac. He only talks about himself and you can’t wait to get away from him.
What does pride look like?
Proverbs 21:24 says:
“A proud and haughty man —'Scoffer' is his name; he acts with arrogant pride.”
A man may think he is superior by virtue of his education, money, position, ability or influence.
What happens when one has pride?
The proud man with elevated feelings crushes others or takes advantage of them. Because of pride, Solomon enslaved his fellow Jews! Pride caused slavery. Pride caused the destruction of the Jews in the holocaust by Hitler, the slaughter of the Armenians by the Muslims, and the murder of the Chinese and Koreans by the Japanese. Today we see pride when men abuse their wives, belittle different races and display impatience. God may destroy you if you are proud or destroy the thing in which you show your pride: car, wealth, job, education or health! Remember Herod and the worms! Remember Adam.
How do you cure pride?
Know that God hates the proud. Proverbs 8:13 tells us:
“…Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate."
God brings them down to destruction. You must, therefore, remember you are not your own but belong to your Saviour Who died for you. You are His servant.
Suggestions for prayer
Pray that you will follow wisdom (another name for Jesus) and abandon pride, that you will humbly serve and worship the Saviour.
This daily devotional is available in a print edition you can buy at Nearer to God Devotional. Rev. Mitchell Persaud is pastor of New Horizon URC in Scarborough, ON, a mission church under the oversight of Cornerstone URC in London, ON. He was born in Guyana, South America, into a Hindu home, baptized Roman Catholic, raised Pentecostal and then became Reformed....
