July 7 2017 – Click here to listen
I am dealing with a difficult situation in which the person I am dealing has had their pride’ damaged. I am about convinced that no amount of consoling is going to turn this person around and their pride is so important to them that they will not bend. As the Bible teaches, “Pride goes before destruction”. Unless this person reconsiders, foolish pride will soon destroy a relationship. If they are not willing to bend a little in the interest of obtaining peace then they will break and never find it. We see this in the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, the Shiites and the Sunnis, and African nations and others around the world galore. No one wants to either compromise, forgive, or just agree to disagree and then move on.
I have seen this numerous times throughout my life on a personal basis whereby two friends or relatives get into a squabble. One or both get their pride damaged over something and before you know it, the relationship is over and the bridge is burned down. A funny example of damaged pride was a friend of mine who upon leaving a college football game refused to ask anyone for directions home. Instead we drove around all over town, (approximately two hours), trying to find it on our own. Finally we convinced him to stop and ask directions. His reason for not doing it in the first place? “I got my pride”. Huh??? Arghhhhh!
If someone tries to reconcile a long standing problem and your precious pride has been damaged, why not just reconcile and move on? The Bible instructs us “not to let the sun go down” while we are still angry at someone. I believe part of the reason this urgency in resolving the problem immediately is in the Bible is that the longer the dispute goes on, the harder it is to ultimately peacefully resolve the conflict. Sometimes after a significant length of time has elapsed, both parties have hardened to an extent that there is no room for reconcilement, (even though they may have forgotten why they are mad at each other in the first place, but don’t worry about details like that they hate each other – just the same – this is a ‘family feud’). Other times hurtful things that have been said are carried around like a precious belonging for a lifetime causing daily pain and consternation as they relive that hurtful comment, (or whatever), over and over and over. In either case pride needlessly destroys the relationship.
Guess who enjoys every minute of this? Satan of course since he is the father of it. Pride was the original sin and Eve went as a lamb to slaughter’ as satan whispered in her ear and told her that she could become a God herself by eating from the Tree of Life. Foolish pride brought down the entire human race and pride is one of satan’s favorite tools. Sadly it will not be going away until Christ returns and sets up His new kingdom that is free from sin; therefore we must learn to defeat it in our daily lives on this old earth. Be gracious and humble. Ask yourself this question, in the final analysis what difference does it make anyhow? Forgive others their trespasses against you and rise above it. Defeat satan in one of his favorite games. Jesus was the perfect example on the cross as He pleaded with His Father to “forgive them for they know not what they do” . . . He is our example of what to do about pride.
Proverbs 13:10
By pride comes nothing but strife . . .
Have a great weekend and go to church this Sunday!