HOPE ni GUILLER VALENCIA

A great reminder for all regarding pride from the book of Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, and haughty spirit before a fall.”

Masasabi natin na halos lahat ng tao, anoman ang lahi ay may ganitong ugali. Mayroon mga masasabing super-duper ang pride, other lesser and controllable. Pero mayroon din naman iyong parang walang anomang pride sa katawan. By the way, ang pride sa tagalog ay pagmamataas, kayabangan, o kapalaluan.

I read this in the Eternal Bible with the title, “The Prideful Heart”. Thoughts and beliefs of pride; my opinion is better, I am right, I am self-made, I’m worthy of honor, I don’t deserve this, I deserve better, and I don’t need anyone, including God. Leading to these results; sorrow, self-pity, anger, bitterness, envy, jealousy and a hard heart toward God. Tawag natin dito ay “I” specialists!

Since ancient times, pride is an age-old struggle na nagmistulang salot sa sangkatauhan. Marami sa bible characters ang naging palalo, mapagmataas o ma-pride. Narito ang ilang halimbawa: 1) Saul na unang hari ng Israel na pinili ng Diyos to lead His people. Bumagsak siya dahil naging mapagtaas and became disobedient sa Diyos, 2) Nebuchadnezzar, powerful king who became boastful and attributed his accomplishments solely to own power. God taught him a lesson by making him live like a wild animal, 3) King Herod of Judea in times of Jesus’ birth. He heard the news that there’s a new born King of the Jews. Dapat ay kanyang tinanggap ang katotohanan bagkus tinangka niyang lipulin ang mga banta sa kanya at pinapatay ang lahat ng mga bata. Dahil sa kanyang prideful actions, siya ultimately ay namatay, 4) Peter, feeling superior among all disciples because of this pride led to denied Christ, 5) Lastly, Pharisees were religious leaders who followed strictly the laws and self-righteous but did not believe to the Messiah being prophesied according to their books.

Sa karanasan ng bible characters na ating nabahagi, makapagbibigay ito ng valuable lessons about the destructive nature of pride. Matuto tayong maging mapagkumbaba sa harap ng ating Panginoon Diyos na buhay na nagtataas sa atin. Sabi nga sa kanta, “…humble thyself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up, higher and higher…” Before honor is humility. (giv777@myyahoo.com)