The Pride Before the Fall

Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 

– 2 Corinthians 3: 4-5

According to Proverbs 16:18, “Pride comes before disaster, and arrogance before a fall.” And that's certainly true for individuals and organizations alike. For example, you're probably familiar with Microsoft Word, the popular word-processing software found on millions of personal computers and other devices around the world. But what about WordPerfect? 

Back in the 1980s and early ‘90s, it was the dominant word processer until Microsoft introduced its game-changing Windows 95 operating system. WordPerfect, which operated on the old DOS operating system, suddenly became obsolete. And although subsequent Windows-based versions of the software were released, there were compatibility issues. Microsoft Word eventually overthrew the once-invincible WordPerfect. And in 1996, Norvell — the owner — sold it for just 10% of what it had paid just two years earlier.

The resulting multi-million-dollar loss was, to say the least, a disturbing reality check for Norvell. Arguably, its management of WordPerfect and the employees who created it represent a textbook example of corporate pride and arrogance. Likewise, Christ-followers must never forget that pride and hubris can also cripple and destroy when they're overlooked.

At pride’s root is our love of the world’s values rather than our devotion to God. And pride happens to be a disease with some nasty side effects. One symptom is far-sightedness. That’s because we tend to see it in others but not in ourselves. Our heads then grow, and our minds shrink. And eventually, we reach the point where we think we’re strong and smart enough to do it all — all while forgetting that God is the only true power and source of our successes. We become arrogant, vain, stubborn, and defensive. And we may even develop a strange sense of satisfaction when others, often our closest friends, face difficulties or tragedies in their lives.

These painful symptoms can last for days or even years. But we’ll eventually reach the point where God lets us crumble and fall flat after some unforeseen situation or circumstance. It’s the pride before the fall. And it’s only when we’re struggling helplessly in the debris that we finally regain our senses and return to our Creator.

Like the common cold, we’re all bound to catch the pride bug occasionally. So, what’s the best way to battle the illness once it has set in? First, the remedy doesn’t call for adopting an artificially low self-esteem or a terminal woe-is-me attitude. Instead, we’ll heal by replacing deceptive self-confidence with reliable Christ-confidence. And the prescription is to always put God first in our lives and remember that we can do nothing without him. We should always give him the credit for our blessings and successes, and focus on helping others through their struggles. Moreover, we must understand that God chooses and uses humble people to do great things in the world. 

The Bible sums it all up with some solid advice: 

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."