QT 18 Jul 11, Pride is a dangerous emotion that blinds us to others

Jer 48:29-33 (NIV) "We have heard of Moab's pride —

her overweening pride and conceit,

her pride and arrogance

and the haughtiness of her heart.

30 I know her insolence but it is futile,"

 declares the Lord,

"and her boasts accomplish nothing.

31 Therefore I wail over Moab,

for all Moab I cry out,

I moan for the men of Kir Hareseth.

32 I weep for you, as Jazer weeps,

O vines of Sibmah.

Your branches spread as far as the sea;

they reached as far as the sea of Jazer.

The destroyer has fallen

on your ripened fruit and grapes.

33 Joy and gladness are gone

from the orchards and fields of Moab.

I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses;

no one treads them with shouts of joy.

Although there are shouts,

they are not shouts of joy.

NOTE: The concluding chapters of Jeremiah focus on the nations around Judah: Egypt, Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Edom and others.  Moab is destroyed for a number of reasons--one of which is highlighted rather strongly, and that is pride.  Pride is a very ugly sin.  And while there is a good side to it--such as the pride a Parent takes in a child as he/she takes the first steps in multiple adventures--there is a very dark and grievous side as well.  The evil of pride is first and foremost a feeling of being better than others, or deserving of special attention.  The person (or nation) looks down upon others with a sense of superiority, and assumes he/she is better.  Pride focuses us inwardly and causes us to forget others or to treat them rudely.  It is really the opposite of love in almost every sense of the word.  Truly, people, deep down, are not as different as we like to think.  Some of us have been blessed by opportunity and birth right, but that does not make us deserving of special status.  The Lord will hold us accountable some day for the prideful way we have treated others, just as he held Moab accountable. 

God, open our eyes and help us to see all people as you see them.  Help us to live like Jesus with love for every person.  Help us to consider others as more important than ourselves (Phil 2:1-4).