"Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; assuredly, he will not be unpunished." Proverbs 16: 5
The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right name. Pride. You can't spell it, without "I" right in the middle of it. God hates it. His Word calls it an "abomination." Who knew? More on that later.
God expresses His name with the two words, "I AM." He did not say, "I WAS." Nor did He say, "I WILL." His Presence is as fresh as breath in the lungs. Leaving God out of the "NOW" always results in intimidation, by immediate circumstances. Pride tries to seize control, when fear rushes in. Prayer steps out of the way, and lets fear run right smack into the hands of God. He turns it around, and hands it back to us, and says, "Have faith."
The Wise Man begins and ends his day with a focus on "The Great I AM." The Fool places confidence in the wrong source. His life revolves around his own "I." With an admiring glance in the mirror, and a quick "Yes, I can!", he heads out to change the world. Before long, it fits his image. There is that "I" thing again. You can't spell image without...OK. You get the picture.
Wisdom comes from a life time of focusing on the God of Creation and following His lead. The Wise have learned that their "I" trouble is never improved by collecting lint from their own navel. The Fool takes pride in his lint collection, and shows it off to everyone he meets. He can never figure out why people aren't as impressed with it, as he is. Pride looks inward. Prayer looks upward. The Fool is prayerless and prideful. The Wise are prayerful and faithful.
Vision correction begins by taking a look at God's "I" Chart. Looking at God helps us see things His way. If He equates "Abomination" & "Pride," so should we. The Fool has too much pride to believe he may be a source of the problem. He reserves "abomination" for his pet condemnation. He only condemns what he sees in others, not in himself. What others do is sin. His lint is pure.
To be clear, God reveals His wisdom in Proverbs. He equates "abomination" with a list of dirty laundry often considered quite acceptable to be worn in public, by The Fool. They include, devious behavior, differing weights, false balance, lying lips, evil plans, scoffing, wickedness, perverse heart, and sacrifice of the wicked. If the lines of right and wrong get blurred, check your "I" with His. "Seven things which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness that utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers." Proverbs 6:16-19
Just in case this sounds a little too Old Testament. Check out God's New Testament "I" Chart. "Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you..." I Corinthians 6:9-11.
Surprised? God equates your tendency to want what someone else has, with "the love that dare not speaks it name." That resentment you feel right now is called PrIde. God equates it with "abomination." The healing of a nation begins with admitting to God what He already knows about you. Ask Him for forgiveness, and for His Holy Spirit to remove the abomination in your own "I." You'll be glad He did, and this nation will be one step closer to the next Great Awakening.
TALK LESS! PRAY MORE!