Feeding the Beast

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better lowly in spirit…than to share plunder with the proud.” Prov. 16:18-19. “Those who walk in pride, he is able to humble” Daniel 4:37.

There is nothing attractive about pride. Pride is an insatiable beast that holds no quenched appetite. It hungers to be fed and prowls around, looking for its next meal in places it has previously succeeded. In the past, my source of pride has been associated with my children which God has continuously humbled me. My greatest “pride lesson” in life has been centered around judging others as parents. It is so easy to look upon the decisions of others and make assumptions of the manner in which we would handle things.

Although God brought my haughty spirit to a fall during my 8 year valley with Kristen, the beast sometimes rears its nasty head and comes to me to be fed. Last night, I had a parent call me for advice on her out of control teen. Pride answered the phone last night and immediately began dining. Thankfully, the further the conversation developed the Holy Spirit took over and began starving the beast.

Throughout the Bible many people fell from power, riches or position due to their pride. It is one of the most destructive and offensive character traits that we may possess. The worst kind of pride is spiritual pride which divides, alienates and turns off other people regarding a relationship with God. Philippians 2:3 states, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” By developing the ability to listen to the inner urgings of the Holy Spirit we learn to feed that inner dwelling instead of the inner dwelling of pride. Pride is a heart problem for which everyone struggles beginning with Eve in the garden. By not acknowledging pride in our lives is pride within itself.

Figure out ways to feed the fellowship with Christ instead of feeding the beast.