A proverb about pride

Today, we are going to look at one verse. So let's read...

Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 18:12

Discussion

• Like many proverbs, we see a contrast built into this verse. Many proverbs basically read this is bad, while that is good.
• Let's first look the "bad" part of this proverb.
  • The word translated downfall here is sheber which means "breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin, shattering." That sounds painful doesn't it?
  • The word translated heart here is leb (which we've seem before) which means "inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding"
  • The word translated proud here is gabahh which means "to be high, be exalted"
  • Can you restate this in your own words?
  • How does "When a man thinks he's really great by himself, he gets crushed" work for you?
  • Think of the story of David and Bathsheba. David thought he deserved a pretty wife like Bathsheba because he was a great king. So David took her as his wife even though it was wrong for him to do so. God sent the prophet Nathan to tell David of his sin and the first son born to David and Bathsheba died. Though David and Bathsheba committed the sin of adultery, it was David's pride that led him into adultery.
  • Sometimes, the result of the bad part of this proverb isn't immediate. We know that anyone who thinks so highly of themself that they don't need Jesus will get their punishment for all eternity.
• Now, let's look at the "good" part of this proverb.
  • The word translated humility is `anavah which means "humility, meekness."
  • Dictionary.com defines "humility" as "the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc."
  • Dictionary.com defines "meekness" as the state of being "humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others"
  • The word translated honor here is kabowd which means "glory, honour, glorious, abundance"
  • Can you put this part of the proverb in your own words?
  • How about "Being humble leads to honor"?
• So to summarize
  • If you're proud and don't think you need Jesus, you get crushed
  • If you're humble and recognize you need Jesus, you get honored
• Which you you rather be?