11/27/2007
<br>Author: Devin Pickard
<br>Title: November 28, 2007
<br><br>“Pro 8:13  The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.   Pro 11:2  [When] pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly [is] wisdom.   Pro 13:10  Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised [is] wisdom.   Pro 14:3  In the mouth of the foolish [is] a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.    Pro 16:18  Pride [goeth] before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”  Wikipedia defines Pride as “the name of an emotion which refers to a strong sense of self-respect, a refusal to be humiliated as well as joy in the accomplishments of oneself or a person, group, nation or object that one identifies with. To think of self higher than anyone and everyone else.”<br><br>God’s Word is very clear in its condemnation of prideful arrogance.  Our Lord chastised the Pharisees because of their egotistical, arrogant attitude toward others.  James would say, “How dare you call yourselves Christians, and then place the poor folks in the back of the auditorium while you sit the socialites and the elite of the community in the front....one soul is no more important than another.”  It is a tragedy to think that there are some folks in the world who are spiritually lost partly because they feel like they do not “fit in” or are not “good enough” to attend Church services.  Some feel like they wouldn’t be welcomed in a fellowship anywhere because of their sinful, storied past....especially in a small town like ours where everybody knows  everybody.  They are afraid the weight of the stares and whispering would be too much for them and the roof trusses to handle.  Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t that the very reason for which Christ died?   <br><br>Past sins and mistakes are not the only discouragers of Church attendance.  Some feel like they do not “look” the part......they wear the wrong clothes and drive the wrong car....they live on the wrong side of town and come from the wrong family.....they don’t know the secret hand shake or the proper password to get in the front door.  So, rather than taking a chance of feeling inferior or less than acceptable, most choose to stay away all together.  Who will be accused as an accomplice to that spiritual murder on Judgement Day?  <br><br>The 2007 campaign of the Hickman County Bulldog football team was the best ever.....not just in recent years.....I mean EVER!  No Bulldog grid-iron team that has suited up in red and black has ever achieved more.  One of the results of this wonderful season has been a renewed spirit and pride in our community and team.  These young men and their coaches have made us all proud.  Now, I believe this is a different type of pride than the kind that God loathes.  This is an appreciation pride rather than an arrogant pride.  This is a self-esteem building pride rather than a looking-down-our-nose pride.  This is an other-person centered pride rather than a self-worshipping parade. <br><br>Even God made it very clear that he was proud of his Son after his baptism when he said, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”.  It’s one thing to be pleased.  It’s another thing all together to be a “Bertha-better-than-you”.  If we’re doing our jobs, we better have a few rust buckets parked around the church building like the one yours truly drives.  If we’re doing our jobs, we better have some jeans and overalls scattered amongst our pews with the suits and ties.  If we’re doing our jobs, we better have some folks with us who may have had their names in the paper a time or two, and I don’t mean because they made the honor roll or scored the winning basket (Miles).  You know if your doing your job......and so does your boss.      <br><br>                                                                                                         <br>Go the extra mile - Devin<br>       <br>