Early Warning Signs
Scripture Reading: Proverbs 18:12
Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty but humility comes before honor.
In the realms of health and weather, we have what we call “early warning signs.” A person who is close to having a heart attack might feel pain in their chest or shoot down their left arm. Dark, low-lying clouds, large hail, or an eerie calm during a storm might be precursors to an approaching tornado. In the spiritual realm, pride is the early warning sign of a destructive fall and humility predicts honor.
There is a sense in which these are the natural outcomes of these spiritual traits. No special divine intervention is required to produce the fruit of destruction or honor when it comes to pride and humility. Destruction follows pride as naturally as illness follows drinking spoiled milk. Honor comes on the heels of humility as certainly as the earth is lit by the rising of the sun.
Still, while these things are in part what we might call a natural law of this world, a way that life works; we should also consider God’s active role in how pride and humility shape the outcomes of our lives. James wrote, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble…Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
God, according to James, holds the proud at arms-length. They are kept from approaching Him and receiving from Him the grace they need to overcome the devil’s temptations. The proud lean into the world and make the wicked values and systems of this world their friends. In doing so they become the enemies of God. They set themselves up to be opposed by God.
The humble, those who willingly humble themselves before God, are allowed to draw near to Him. They receive grace from Him. In that grace, they can resist the devil and achieve victory over his wiles. God exalts them.
Neither the humble nor the proud get what they are seeking. The proud seek to be exalted and they receive humiliation and destruction. The humble seek lowliness before God and are given honor by Him. They are like those Jesus spoke of who sit at the lowly place in the king's palace and are moved to the best seats by the king himself.
Pride and humility have fruit that follows as a normal natural course of life. They also have outcomes that are a result of the Sovereign hand of God directing our affairs. God opposes the one and gives grace and honor to the other.
Pay attention to the early warning signs. The wise course of action is to repent of pride and choose humility.
