Before destruction the heart of man is haughty; and before honour is humility (Proverbs 18:12).
The ruin of all mankind, and of millions of angels, is a tremendous proof of the first part of this text. The abasement and exaltation of our Redeemer, is a glorious illustration of the other clause.
Solomon gives us repeated warnings of the danger of pride, and the necessity of a humble spirit; but we need them all, for vile and worthless as we are, humility is a very great stranger in our world, and pride is a sin so insinuating, that most men’s hearts, and even their religion, is quite corrupted by it.
Proud men stand on the edge of a fearful precipice, from whence they will soon tumble into destruction. But blessed are the poor in spirit; they may be at present in the valley of abasement, but they shall dwell for ever with God in his holy hill, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
From “Exposition of the Book of Proverbs” by George Lawson.
