Arrogance and Pride

I, the LORD, will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sin. I will crush the arrogance of the proud and humble the pride of the mighty. [Isaiah 13.11]

If we look close, there is a clue to be found in this passage of scripture from Isaiah.

The first part of the passage is pretty straightforward: God will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sin. 

But the second part of this passage is what is telling (to me anyway) today. As if in explanation of what the world's evil is and what the wicked's sin is, God says He will crush arrogance and pride.

Arrogance and pride, more than any other sin, seem to always rise to the top of God's lists of that which deserves punishment.

I just wonder, in those times when things go wrong in our lives - those times when we do not necessarily know why we are experiencing trouble, if it is pride that is betraying us. It is worth considering, right?

The irony of the false teachings about bad things happening to good people is found in the very wording of it! Jesus Himself said there is none good except the Father. To say that bad things happen to good people is to arrogantly and proudly (and ignorantly) declare human innocence.

Job had every appearance of being a 'good' person. But as the story unfolds, it is revealed that Job had deep-seated pride and arrogance in his heart.

So, what do we do when bad things happen? Repent. More likely than not, if we don't know what we have done wrong, it is pride.

Father, help us to recognize pride and arrogance in our lives and quickly repent and stay repentant of it!