Evening, March 6
Charles Spurgeon · Morning and Evening: Daily Readings
Proverbs 18:12
"Before destruction the heart of man is haughty."
Proverbs 18:12
It is an old and common saying, that "coming events cast their shadows
before them;" the wise man teaches us that a haughty heart is the
prophetic prelude of evil. Pride is as safely the sign of destruction
as the change of mercury in the weather-glass is the sign of rain; and
far more infallibly so than that. When men have ridden the high horse,
destruction has always overtaken them. Let David's aching heart show
that there is an eclipse of a man's glory when he dotes upon his own
greatness. 2 Sam. 24:10. See Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty builder of
Babylon, creeping on the earth, devouring grass like oxen, until his
nails had grown like bird's claws, and his hair like eagle's feathers.
Dan. 4:33. Pride made the boaster a beast, as once before it made an
angel a devil. God hates high looks, and never fails to bring them
down. All the arrows of God are aimed at proud hearts. O Christian, is
thine heart haughty this evening? For pride can get into the
Christian's heart as well as into the sinner's; it can delude him into
dreaming that he is "rich and increased in goods, and hath need of
nothing." Art thou glorying in thy graces or thy talents? Art thou
proud of thyself, that thou hast had holy frames and sweet experiences?
Mark thee, reader, there is a destruction coming to thee also. Thy
flaunting poppies of self-conceit will be pulled up by the roots, thy
mushroom graces will wither in the burning heat, and thy
self-sufficiency shall become as straw for the dunghill. If we forget
to live at the foot of the cross in deepest lowliness of spirit, God
will not forget to make us smart under his rod. A destruction will come
to thee, O unduly exalted believer, the destruction of thy joys and of
thy comforts, though there can be no destruction of thy soul.
Wherefore, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."