Manifestations of Pride:

a Lack of Gratitude, WeaLth and Pride

Materialism is alive and abundant across the nation of the United States and among many parts
of the world. The culture promotes everything from beer to zebra cakes; advertisers lure you in for the
kill. Your flesh is constantly being pressured into buying the fancy car, the entertainment center with a
flat screen “1,000” inch TV, fashionable clothing with named brand marks, the big house so you and
your family can enjoy a happy and pleasurable life.

Although materialism possibly may produce temporal happiness. The fleshy happiness man
seeks doesn’t last. So if one is caught up in this sin. One will become prideful, pride will indeed manifest
and come snapping out like a venomous snake.

It is not wrong to have money and possessions. However; it is wrong to build your life around
them. “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the
abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15) Wealth and pride are twins; the more money or possessions
you have the more you will tend to battle pride and self-exaltation. It is very easy to believe we gained
our wealth from our own abilities. (Deut. 8:10-19) But it is God who gives you power to get wealth.
(Deut. 8:18)

Proud people usually think they deserve better lives or what is good. They tend to think after all
the hard work they done in their lives they deserve that big retirement. The result is they see no reason
to give thanks for the things they receive. Even then they may complain because they think they deserve
better. The proud person has no practice of being thankful toward others and especially to God.

In the scriptures the Bible gives us the example of Hezekiah. Hezekiah did not give thanks for the
blessings that God had done to him because his heart became proud. And God was about to bring His
wrath upon him and Judah and Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 32:35)

We are also not to only just be humble, looking to our own affairs but also to the affairs of
others. (Phil. 2:3-4) Greek and Roman culture mocked humility and exalted pride very much like our
society today. Especially in the United States where the citizens are brainwashed into thinking they
should be a proud citizen.

Unlike Hezekiah in which the Lord had mercy on, many proud people continue will not give
thanks and desire more wealth and possessions to feed their fleshly proud self. God indeed will bring
wrath upon them.

In Hezekiah case God simply had let him go to himself. In many other similar cases God allows
the prideful and the wealthy to continue in their wealth and pride. Much like a farmer abundantly feeds
or fattens up beef cattle for the slaughter. God abundantly gives more wealth and to the prideful and

Mar. 6, 2010 DwellingWithGod.com By Jay Gheen

arrogant. So when destruction does come upon that prideful heart. God’s glory will that much greater
be exalted in their destruction.

Just because someone appears to be wealthy doesn’t always mean it’s a blessing. It could very
well be a curse resulting in their destruction and the exaltation of God’s glory.

Mar. 6, 2010 DwellingWithGod.com By Jay Gheen