A Word to the Proud

I am so pleased!

You did a great job!

Never, never I am proud of you. 

I don't tell my children I am proud of them. Perhaps you think that's harsh, but somewhere along the line, we have been conditioned to believe every child needs to hear the words, I am proud of you. I don't believe that is true. In fact, I believe teaching a child to seek those words from anyone is wrong. 

In Matthew 25, the Parable of the Talents used by Jesus to explain the kingdom of heaven, Jesus says the master tells his faithful, diligent servants. "Well done, good and faithful servant; ...Enter into the joy of your lord." Well done. Not, You make me so proud! A good job is rewarded, and the compliment given is to the person who did the good job. It's not about the master; it's about the faithfulness of the servant. Though the servant may have been seeking to please his master, the applause is all his; his obedience and industry are at the center of this celebration. And does the servant "take pride" in his efforts? If so, Jesus doesn't say that. As a matter of fact, in the explanation that follows (Matthew 25:31-46), those who inherit the blessing, "the kingdom prepared for them from the foundation of the world," appear to be unaware they were doing anything worthy of their reward. Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger... or naked... or sick... or in prison? They were simply going about obeying the first command, to love God, and the second, to love others. 

I say all of this because it is June. We have entered the month-long celebration of sin known to some as "Pride Month." Webster's defines pride as inordinate self-esteem; lofty self-respect. Extra. More than is healthy or socially prudent. But here we are. The sad irony of this is, those who choose to be a part of this celebration of homosexuality do so by embracing the sin of pride. Pride which God hates; pride which is in direct opposition to God (Proverbs 8:13; James 4:6); pride which leads to disgrace and causes strife, the very opposite of wisdom (Proverbs 11:2; 13:10); pride which is unloving (1 Corinthians 13:4); and pride which leads to destruction (Proverbs 16:18). As if celebrating one sin isn't enough, we have to wrap it up in the abomination that is pride. But that is what sin does. One sin leads us to the next and the one after. It's a rabbit hole, a slippery slope --choose your euphemism; but it is sin, just the same, and it will be dealt with. Isaiah 2:12 (AMP) says:

For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning
Against all who are proud and arrogant
And against all who are lifted up,
That they may be degraded.

A word to the wise is sufficient, as one of my high school teachers used to say; and I pray that a word to the proud will not go unheeded.