Proverbs 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: Though he joins his hand with another, this will not prevent him from being punished.
We live in a society that rewards the confident, the aggressive, the powerful, and those who have or make the right connections. In themselves, these are not necessarily evil things. I would even dare to say that all these things are things that God wants us to be and to do. However, many times in the process of our pursuit of excellence, we too often forget to guard our heart. We have spoken already several times before about the importance of a person’s heart. It is like the well of our lives that we draw from to feed the life that we live and pursue in this world. Once the heart becomes corrupt, it is impossible for us to avoid the damage that this will eventually bring upon all the areas of our life, because of the corrupt source that we are drawing from. Notice that the writer does not exclude anyone from the damages of a heart of pride, but uses the words, “Every One”.
If we need any further proof of this, we need look no further that the recent financial crisis on Wall Street. It is a deception to think that our unity and bond with others alone will somehow protect us from possible damage, hurt, or punishment. A drowning man needs a life-preserver, not a hand; many times another hand will only create another drowning man. Instead of trusting others for our safety, we need to look to our own heart for a sense of peace. Stay humble before God, no matter what your situation might be. Our heart undoubtedly becomes dirty almost on a daily basis. However, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Take time to wash it out. Don’t allow it to become corrupt and full of pride. There is only one source that I know of that can clean a heart. It is a sincere prayer of repentance towards God acknowledging the sacrifice of his only Son Jesus, over 2,000 years ago. Try it. It works!
Pastor LaVaughn
