Let Pride Go

Scripture: Proverbs 16:12-25

Key Verse: Proverbs 16:18

Sometimes one of the hardest things to do in life is to admit that you are wrong, especially when a lot is riding on your ability to be right. We must always remember that we are all human, and we all make mistakes. Most people will agree that there is nothing more courageous than admitting that you are wrong and learning from your mistakes. This section of Proverbs 16 focuses on a king’s ability to be humble and I believe that we can all learn something from this example. 

One of the first things we can learn from this section of scripture is that wisdom is better than money (v.16). I know that the idea seems strange, but it actually makes a lot of sense. If you give a foolish person a large amount of money, it is very likely that they will go and spend it carelessly. However, if you give a wise person a large amount of money, they are likely to figure out how to invest their money and make it work for them. Because of pride, the foolish person may not acknowledge that they could have done better with their money and made it last longer. So, it is not the money that makes the difference, it is the wisdom to know what to do with it. 

Once we have received wisdom from God, we must humble ourselves (v.18-19). God doesn’t give us wisdom to hold it above the heads of others. He wants you to become comfortable with being selfless and giving back to others. So, if you have made great progress in a certain area of your life that someone else may be struggling with, then that could be your chance to offer help (v.20). Once we learn from our experiences, it is good to surround ourselves with more humble people instead of people who are only focused on their own success. 

The next thing we can learn from these verses is that it is important to follow directions. Sometimes, we get so caught up in doing our own thing that we miss important directions that can help us reach our goals. God has given each of us advisors that can help us reach our goals and confirm the messages that He has for us. It might not be clear who our spiritual advisor is at the moment, but trust and believe that God always has someone in place to ensure that we are living up to our maximum potential. The question is: Will we listen to the advice or will our pride get in the way? Unfortunately, more often than not we will pray to God or talk to our advisor about things and then want to rush their response. However, if we truly trust God, our hearts will be able to discern where we are supposed to go and what we are supposed to do (v.21). 

Last, but certainly not least, we have to watch our words (v.23). It is important to always put thought into the words that come out of our mouths and to correct ourselves when we say something harmful. We cannot allow pride to stop us from bearing the Good News. If we are going to be disciples for the Lord, people have to be able to trust us. I don’t know about you, but I find it hard to trust arrogant people. They usually only have their best interest in mind and therefore do not mind offending others. If we are humble and seek wisdom from God, we can avoid saying things that may interfere with our ministry. It all begins with a choice to let pride go. Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving me wisdom that is more valuable than wealth. Thank you for giving me the courage to be humble. Give me a heart that wants to serve others. I want to follow the path that you have set for me. Lord help me speak the words that you have placed on my heart. I want to draw more people to you. I want to let my pride go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.