Pride Comes Before the Fall

     Pride is a funny thing. It has this line down the middle of it. If you step on one side, it is a good thing. Step on the other side and it is sin.
     When we are young we are told to take pride in our work, and then we’re told to take pride in our appearance. We are to take pride in our country and our heritage. Personally, I am proud to be the daughter of my parents, and I am proud to be the wife of Dwayne Thompson, and I am proud to be the mother of Bryce and Brittne Thompson. I am proud of the home we have created and I am proud of myself when I reach a personal goal that took work and discipline!
     There are two common factors which determine which side of the line these things fall. If it is on the good side, we see ourselves as humbled recipients of God’s blessing. We acknowledge that everything we have comes from God. Every ability, every relationship, every accomplishment. Two, our blessings are not to be used to elevate us above others. They do not make us superior. When we stop seeing our blessings as things God provided for us and start seeing them as things we deserved, we achieved, we created, we earned, or we accomplished, then we have crossed the line of sin. When we stop seeing blessings with humble eyes and start seeing them as reasons that make us superior to others, we have crossed the line. Once we cross that line, pride can make us so self seeking we can’t humble ourselves enough to fix broken relationships, we can’t admit error, and we can't apologize when we are wrong. It makes us strive to keep ahead of the Jones'. At this point, it shows itself in revenge, gossip, unforgiveness, murder, lying, etc. Actually all sin is rooted in pride because sin is us choosing our way instead of submitting to God’s way.
     Satan had a problem with pride. It is still hard for me to grasp but Satan started out as an angel. Not just an angel but a perfect angel. However, he allowed pride to enter his heart and God threw him out of Heaven.

We get a glimmer of who Satan was in Ezekiel:

You had everything going for you (he was complete, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty). You were in Eden, God’s garden. You were dressed in splendor, your robe studded with jewels: carnelian, peridot, and moonstone, beryl, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald, all in setting of engraved gold. A robe was prepared for you the same day you were created. You were the anointed cherub. I placed you on the mountain of God. You strolled in magnificence among the stones of fire. From the day of your creation you were sheer perfection and then imperfection—evil! – was detected in you. In much buying and selling you turned violent, you sinned! I threw you, disgraced, off the mountain of God. I threw you out—you, the anointed angel-cherub. No more strolling among the gems of fire for you! Your beauty went to your head (you were proud and lifted up because of your beauty). You corrupted wisdom by using it to get worldly fame. I threw you to the ground, sent you sprawling before an audience of kings and let them gloat over your demise.
Ezekiel 28 12-17
The Message (The Amplified)

We see his pride clearly in Isaiah 14 13-15 (The Amplified)
You said to yourself, “I’ll climb to heaven. I’ll set my throne over the stars of God. I’ll run the assembly of angels that meets on sacred Mount Zaphon. I’ll climb to the top of the clouds. I’ll take over as King of the Universe!”

    
     Pride came with a great consequence for Satan. Scripture warns up that pride comes before destruction. We need to be on the alert to make sure our pride does not become sin. It can happen quickly, and unnoticed. There is nothing I hate more than when pride creeps undetected into my heart. I need to tie a ribbon around my finger to be a constant reminder to evaluate my heart for pride. Maybe the word “I” could be my ribbon. Every time I use the word ‘I” it could remind me to check my heart for pride. If I am being prideful, I will be using the word “I” more than the word “God” and I will be using the word “I” when I should be using the word “God”.