Written By Rajah Brown, MAM Area Director
God hates unrighteous pride! We can be certain of this by the words written in Proverbs 16:5, “The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished.”
In contrast, our society honors pride. Our daily lives are consumed with careers, possessions, television programs and social networks that glorify self-promotion.
In the remaining days leading up to the Super Bowl, there will be much discussion and debate around comments made by Seattle Seahawks Cornerback, Richard Sherman, after winning the NFC Championship game. In the final seconds, Sherman deflected the ball from San Francisco 49ers receiver, Michael Crabtree, causing a teammate to intercept the pass and seal a victory.
In his nationally televised post-game interview, Sherman boasted: “I’m the best corner in the game, and when you try the best corner in the game with a sorry receiver like (Michael) Crabtree, that’s what you get.”
Although Sherman is widely recognized as the best defensive back in the NFL for his talent and ability to make great plays, it’s his comments and bravado that create lucrative media and endorsement opportunities for his “brand.” The Bible warns us of this type of behavior in 2 Timothy 3:2, “For people will be lovers of money, proud, arrogant…”
As believers, our “brand” should always reflect the characteristics of the Messiah.
“Kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control” are all highlighted in Galatians 5:22-23. It’s safe to assume that we all struggle with the sin of pride at times, but that doesn’t alter the truth in Proverbs 16:5. When we find ourselves acting or speaking out of pride, people see more than our actions and words. They see our character – even if we are out of character
