"One sabbath when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully... Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 'When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, let someone more distinguished than you be invited by him and he who invited you both will come and say to you.,' Give your place to this person and then you will begin with the shame to take the lowest place. But, when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, 'friend move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For everyone who exerts himself will be humbled, and he who trembles himself will be exalted."(Luke 14: 1,7-11)
I used to read this verses in my mother's diary when i was young, since that day I used to ponder what does those line mean. I asked one of our old neighbor about that, and he told me, "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. Self-exaltation... You know what that is, don't you? It is PRIDE. . Such Self exaltation,, such pride, such considering oneself as hight and mighty is dangerous thing my child. for everyone, Jesus says, who exatls himself will be humbled.
What is PRIDE???
-->Is one of those words like love, truth, beauty. Ask somebody what it means, and they'll try to asnwer, stumble, think about it, ask about it, look for the meaning and then eventually give their interpretation of what it means to them. Ask each person you crossed the street and you will find different answers about what it means to them of this simple word...PRIDE
--->According to an English dictionary, on of the definition of the word "PRIDE" is a reasonableand justifiable sense of ones worth of position. For Christian dictionary, PRIDE means it is an excessive belief on ones own abilities, that interferes with the individual recognition of the grace of GOD. It has been called the sin from which all others arise.
What Lao Tzu said, one of the great Chinese Philosophers, about pride?? Pride attaches undue importances to the superiority of ones status in the eyes of others. And shame is fear of humiliation at one's inferior status in the estimation of the others. When one sets his heart on being highly esteemed, and achieves such rating, then he is automatically involved in fear of losing his status.
According to the Literary masters of English Language like:
William Wordsworth-"Pride is a whizzing rocket that would emulates a star."
Samuel Johnson - though that pride as seldom delicate, "It will please itself with very mean advantages."
Fulton Joan Shen -"Pride is an admission of weakness, It will secretly fears all competitions and dreads all rivals.
--->There is a paradox in Pride. As Charles Caleb Colton point out, "pride makes some men ridiculous, but prevents others from becoming so."
To which C.S. Lewis adds, "Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than next man."
Elizabeth Carters considers pride as "a vice not only a dreadfully mischievous in human society, but perhaps of all others, the most insuperable bar to real inward improvement."
Stuart Stevens author of "Northern Exposure", calls pride as "a powerful narcotic," but "it doesn't do much for the immune system." Another author, John Ruskin describes pride in general perspective as "a tht bottom of all great mistakes."
"Pride is a sin, and pride will dow hat sin does." Wrote Henry and Ricahrd Blackaby in their collaborative book, 'Spiritual Leadership.' The Holy Scriptures tells us "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling (Proverbs 16:18).
James also said, 'God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' In Luke 18:14, Jesus cautioned "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbles himself will be exalted.
"Don't let success go into our head. Fame is fleeting and wealth is not forever." The old man said to me." Remember my child, Out there in the universe you're not but just a simple dot."
I asked the old man "Is pride a dangerous thing? And he said "Yes, it is a very dangerous thing. Prideful ful eyes are one of 7 abominatious that God hates. Pride might kill because of it. People are being prideful because of what they have nor do.
What is pride that God Condemns?
%%Pride is thinking that you are more important than others, better than others because of name, accomplishment gifts, looks, knowledge, or wealth. You are not being prideful when you strive to be the best of what you do. You are not being prideful merely because your were recognized you are much better than someone else.
%%Being pride is quite ridiculous because some of the people considered themselves more gifted than others, knowledgable, looked down on others who are lacked of these things, so don't boast about such things that you have.
There are many symptoms of a prideful heart becaomes deeply offended by criticism and eventually they will going to asks "who are you to criticize me??" and an attitude. Bragging probably is the best known of a prideful heart, though it is just as often a symptom of an insecure heart. Mohammed Ali, the boxer was quiet essential bragger, constantly spouting, "I'm the greatest." Meanwhile quite Joe Frazier beat him to times inside the right for the crown. The other is when a prideful heart become offended when other people don't dont pay attention, respect, or honor that you think you deserve, and your heart will speak. "Dont they know who I am." And the other one is sample of a prideful heart is when you think that certain work is beneath you dignity and refuse to do it.
--->But a word of warning for each people. Pride is an ATTITUDE of the man's heart. You can't cast judge whether some prideful by the expression on their face or even manner. A person might look cocky. But in fact be quite humble. A person can look nor act very humble but deep in their heart they are egomaniac. A cocky expression in sometimes a defense mechanism that a insecure people use to protect themselves from being hurt by others.
--->But let us not lose sight of the most important point. Pride is not merely one annoying little fault among many annoying faults. It is much better to be humble not to talk (even to yourself) when you're doing something because in the eye of GOD you will be blessed. Throw it and be a good man and eventually you will learn that you are walking in the right path w/ GOD
-Pangga17 1/29/2008 7:54pm Tuesday
