Proverbs: Week 5, September 10,2017

Istrouma Baptist Church Podcast

Once there was a frog who made friends with a flock of Canadian geese. He dreamed of flying with them to exotic locations. He came up with an idea. He told a pair of the geese that if they would each hold an end of a stick in their beaks, he could hold onto it with his mouth and he could go with them when they flew south for the winter.

Sure enough, two of his geese friends held a stick in their beaks and he jumped up and clamped onto the stick with his mouth. Off the odd trio flew. All was going well until they flew over a farmer in his field. He looked up and saw the geese and the frog suspended by the stick. He whistled and with admiration said, “Well, look at that. That’s amazing! A flying frog. Whose idea was that?”

The frog said proudly, “It was miiiinnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeee.” Splat.

All was going well until pride caused his downfall.

Pride has caused the fall of many more besides. Today’s message is: “The Peril of Pride.” We are in a series of messages entitled, “Proverbs: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Days.” In its wisdom, Proverbs has much to say about pride—and none of it especially good.

Proverbs 29:23 says, “One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.” Another translation, the New American Bible (revised edition), puts it this way, “Haughtiness brings humiliation, but the humble of spirit acquire honor.”

In the NAB translation, there are four key words: haughtiness, humiliation, humble (or humility) and honor. I want to use those four words as the hooks upon which we will hang our thoughts for our message today.

Proverbs: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Days

“The Price of Pride”

“One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor” (Proverbs 29:23).

1. Haughtiness

“Haughtiness brings humiliation, but the humble of spirit acquire honor.”

2. Humiliation

“Haughtiness brings humiliation, but the humble of spirit acquire honor.”

3. Humility

“Haughtiness brings humiliation, but the humble of spirit acquire honor.”

4. Honor

“Haughtiness brings humiliation, but the humble of spirit acquire honor.”