Pride Goeth Before Destruction
As Christians we are admonished to remember who it is that redeems, preserves and sustains us. We are to be careful to give God all glory and not to take unto ourselves any of the glory that is due our God. He alone is worthy of thanks giving, praise, honor and glory. It is easy to become “puffed up” in pride. It was pride that brought down Lucifer and introduced sin into the world.
We would do well to look to the Roman conquerors and the practices that attended them in their rise to power. Roman conquers were not allowed to bring their troops across the river into Rome when they returned from their conquests; lest they use their fame to usurp power in the capitol. They were disarmed and remained bivouacked outside the capitol precincts.
The conquering heros were given a triumphant parade where they were preceded through the streets of Rome by their captives, a display of plunder, unusual animals and birds, and the wealth of those peoples was displayed on carriages in all their splendor.
The conqueror was mounted upon a chariot with a slave standing behind him holding a golden victory diadem or crown over his head. As the procession moved along the streets, to adulation and applause of the crowd, the slave whispered a warning in his ear “fame is fleeting.”
It is human nature to have a desire to share in the glory that is due our God. If praise appears to be sent our way we need to keep reminding ourselves inwardly “In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17: 28) It is “not by might nor by power but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts” (Zechariah 4: 6) that we conquer in His name, even our own pride, by His power.
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