Spurgeon: March PM
* 03/06/PM
"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 ."