It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Sin of Pride, a reflection on Sirach 10:12-18

Since not everyone has a Bible that includes the Apocrypha, here is today's lectionary passage:

The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;
the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.
For the beginning of pride is sin,
and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,
and destroys them completely.
The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,
and enthrones the lowly in their place.
The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,
and plants the humble in their place.
The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,
and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.
He removes some of them and destroys them,
and erases the memory of them from the earth.
Pride was not created for human beings,
or violent anger for those born of women.

About the time we begin to think that we deserve some praise or reward because of our many valuable accomplishments, we are at the point of losing sight of who really does the accomplishments. The pride we have in ourselves will crowd out our recognition of what the Lord has done for us. And, we will be faced with the consequences of our neglect and forgetfulness.

To help with your own recognition of the Lord's place and yours, please look at Prayers for a Privileged People written by Walter Brueggemann.

The publisher Abingdon Press describes this collection of prayers:
In Prayers for a Privileged People, this much-published author sculpts—as carefully as if with chisel—prayers on behalf of those who are people of privilege and entitlement—the haves—at an urgent moment in our society. The privileged face, on the one hand, the seduction of denial or, on the other, the temptation of despair. These prayers of wisdom and prophetic power remind us that when things go wrong , when we are afraid , and when we feel prodded by those who lack voice, there is a conversation we can have—a conversation situated amid the promises and commands of God.

1 comment:

Steve Finnell said...

PRIDE IS THE ERADICATOR OF INTELLECT

Pride can cause you to appear intellectually challenged. The devil had a pride problem. The devil knew that Jesus was God in the flesh, and he still tried to tempt Jesus to sin. [Matthew 4:1-11]

PRIDE CAN CAUSE YOU TO APPEAR INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGED.

Pride destroys the faculty for understanding.

Pride hinders the power of discernment.

Pride is a road-block to clear thinking.

Pride clouds our judgment.

Pride restricts our comprehension.

Pride causes us to think we are smarter than God.

Pride opens the avenue for us to believe man-made doctrine.

2 Peter 3:16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things , in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Pride renders men unteachable and unstable and causes them to distort the truth, and believe the false doctrine of others, to their own destruction.

When we study God's word relying on our own understanding; rather than asking God to show us HIS truth we become a victim of are own pride.

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes. Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES.

PRIDE IS THE ERADICATOR OF INTELLECT!

(All Scripture quotes from: NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE)


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