60 Seconds – The most peculiar disease

It is declared by some that there is a distinctive difference in attitude between a dog and a cat.

A dog will look up at you and think, “You know, you feed me all this wonderful food. You give me this great house to live in. You treat me with love and respect. You must be a god!”

A cat will look up at you and think, “You know, you feed me all this wonderful food. You give me this great house to live in. You treat me with love and respect. I must be a god!”

I don’t know if that’s true of dogs and cats, but it is too often true of human nature.

Someone stated, “Pride is the most peculiar disease known to the human family; it makes everyone sick except the one who has it.”

Solomon warned in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

The following list reveals symptoms of pride:

1. Being overly conscious of our self-importance. In Psalm 101:5, God warns, “The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure.”

2. Having all the answers. Proverbs 3:7 states, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil.”

3. A proud look. From Proverbs 6:16 – 19, we discover that a “proud look” is listed first among the sins God despises.

4. Giving glowing resumes’ about one’s self. Proverbs 27:2, “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.”

5. Boasting about what we plan to do or accomplish. James 4:13 – 16 gives a stern warning against such an attitude.

6. Loving the praise of men. In Matthew 6:1 – 8, Christ spoke of this, and declared that those guilty of it, will lose their reward in Heaven.

7. More frequent use of “I” and “my.” Isaiah 14:12 – 15, records Satan’s fall. Five times he said, “I will,” revealing his pride and self-centeredness.

8. Having little concern for others. Paul instructs us, “Let each of you look out, not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

9. Crediting oneself with work done for God. King Herod took credit for his accomplishments, ignoring God, and he came to a tragic end. Acts12:21 – 23.

10. Loving titles, rewards, position, recognition, and compensation. In Matthew 23, this is the very thing Christ spoke against, concluding, “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself, will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted,” verses 11 and 12.

“God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves” (D. L. Moody).