Proverbs, chapter 28

God’s Word constantly reminds us that humility is important. We must always be humble before God because our own pride can be a major stumbling block. I know I felt this yesterday. I was called to task for something I was doing wrong at work. Instead of humbling admitting my mistake, I let my own pride get the better of me. I felt entitled to do what I was doing because I felt better than the job. I see this morning that this was the wrong attitude to take, even though what I was doing did not affect my job performance.

13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. – Proverbs 28:13

When we are caught doing something wrong our natural reaction is first to deny that we made a mistake. After all, no one wants to face the consequences of their actions. This is made even worse by a world that refuses to show that there are consequences for our actions. It takes a truly responsible, humble person to admit their mistakes right away. Doing so, however, is the key to wisdom.

26 He who trusts in himself is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe. – Proverbs 28:26

Once again, we are reminded that our own pride and methods are not always the best way to do things. It is easy to trust ourselves because we know our abilities. It can be folly to trust ourselves, however, because we don’t often see the limits of those abilities. As this verse says, true wisdom lies in knowing that we cannot totally trust ourselves.