Morning & Evening Devotional Reading–

 March 6– Evening

by C. H. Spurgeon, revised and edited by W. C. Neff

“Before destruction, the heart of man is proud.” 

—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 proud heart is the prophetic prelude of evil. Pride is as surely the sign of destruction as the change of mercury in the barometer is the sign of rain; in fact, even more so.

When men have ridden their high horse, destruction has always overtaken them. Let David’s aching heart show that man’s glory is eclipsed 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, and there was a time when it made an angel a devil.

God hates proud looks, and he never fails to bring them down. All the arrows of God are aimed at proud hearts. O Christian, is your heart proud this evening? 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 wealthy and in need of nothing.” Are you glorying in your graces or your talents? Are you proud of yourself, that you have had holy accomplishments and sweet experiences? Beware, O reader, for destruction will come to you also. Your flaunting flowers of self-conceit will be pulled up by the roots. Your mushroom graces will wither in the burning heat, and your self-sufficiency will become as straw for the manure pile.

If we forget to live at the foot of the cross in deepest lowliness of spirit, God will not forget to apply his rod of correction. A destruction will come to you, O unduly, exalted believer. Your joys and comforts will be destroyed although, thankfully, there can be no destruction of your soul. “Let the one who boasts, boast only in the Lord.” [M&E]