Before

Reading for Today: Proverb Chapter 18

Gold Nugget

Verse 12: “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility.”

Commentary

One of the two predecessors mentioned in today’s scripture will be the opening act for each’s own main event. Whether the main event will be destruction or honor is determined by whether its predecessor is haughty (self-promoting) or humble. Today’s “gold nugget” says, “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility.” If we are humble now, we will receive honor later. If we are self-promoting now, we guarantee our fall to come.

I once heard the story of the young preacher that was so excited to preach his first sermon. He was fresh out of seminary and was very confident in his knowledge and ability to make the world stop and listen. He boldly passed the old minister on the way to the pulpit. After a few moments in the pulpit, he could never get things off the ground. The pressure to perform built an overflow of anxiety and eventual panic. After several embarrassing moments, he walked off the platform humbled and with a clear understanding that he needed something more than himself. As he passed the old minister again, he paused to ask him, “What happened to me up there? I was so confident.” The old man responded, “Son, if you had went up there the way you came down, you would have been fine.”

Prayer

Lord, help me to ensure that my predecessor is humility that brings honor to you and not a haughty spirit that brings me humiliation. As I have prayed before and repeatedly, humble me, and if possible without humiliation.  Amen

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