TODAY’S MEDITATION – Pride and conceit, two subtle snares of the devil (Psalm 10:3-4)

Many believers hide pride and conceit within themselves, which lead them to do things that are dangerous for their walk with the Lord. The problem is that pride and vanity are so subtle and can grow in us while we are the last to notice it. Therefore, my brother, my sister, we should always check ourselves in the light of the Word. No one is born proud or conceited… these are traits of character that can develop in us as we grow and depending on how we look at things of the world and people. So we can also prevent those traits to develop in us pushing them away with our efforts to stop the spread of their seeds in our heart. Why does the Bible say pride is sin? Because, spiritually, it inevitably leads us to ignore, disregard and disobey God as pride makes us become self-centered. It’s simple: it is pride that transformed the once-righteous Lucifer into Satan after he became too impressed with himself: “I will make myself like the Most High” (Isaiah 14:14). The Bible says this about someone who is proud: “He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God” (Psalm 10:3-4). Now, what are the consequences of pride in our earthly life? Very often it leads us to a certain self-destructive behaviour that is visible to others first and last by the person concerned! Surely, Lucifer did not seen that he was becoming Satan, or he would not have liked what he was becoming… However, the Bible also tells us that there is also a good form of pride, the kind that encourages those who live in obedience to God (2 Corinthians 7:2-4). In all cases, we must all keep in mind that in the end, God has the last word. Even Satan, despite his pride and all that he is currently doing in the world, his end is certain and it will be as God decided: eternal fire, because of his pride! And it is the same for all those who do not want to humble themselves before God today by choosing Jesus Christ to show them the way to follow because those are exposed to the judgment of God: If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over. I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze. Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of your land yield their fruit. If you remain hostile toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over, as your sins deserve” (Leviticus 26:18-21). My friend, there is no escape, so it is best that you learn to truly humble yourself before the Lord of your own instead of waiting for Him to make you humble yourself before Him. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name. [facebook] [retweet]