Pride effects attitudes. There is the attitude of selfishness. For Samson it’s wrapped up in one statement -nobody is going to cross me and get away with it. That leads to becoming a vengeful, angry, hostile person. God used him to keep beating down the Philistines, but he attacks them for personal revenge instead of for unfair treatment of Judah. He is so filled with himself that when he loses the bet, he pays them back by stealing the garments from others. When he loses his wife, he takes it out on the village.
Catherine Marshall says “The egocentric personality is concerned about others - other people’s opinions of himself. It craves admiration and popularity. It loves those who love him. The God centered personality is increasingly free from the necessity for the approval or praise of others. When you love the unlovely, it has a feeling of oneness with God towards all humanity. “
Compromise is always more comfortable than commitment. When Sampson was faced with problems his immediate attitude was, “It’s somebody else’s fault.”. Shakespeare was right when he said, ”The fault dear Brutus is not in the stare in the stars it is in ourselves“
Frank Tillapaugh’s seminar was humorous when he explained his mother told him that he was the best thing that ever happened. He knew his mother wouldn’t lie so whenever there was a problem it had to be the other guys fault!
Is anything wrong with that attitude “ It’s not my fault.”, or “Any man can have the right to pick the girl he wants to marry, doesn’t he?” “He hit me first.” “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” “A man has to work out his natural drives. We are born that way.”
That prideful attitude leads us down the path to self-destruction. Are we willing to face our problems under God‘s direction? God has a great plan - it’s to bring Himself glory. We can be blessed or we can be destroyed, sooner or later He will receive His honor.
Application: Will you control your appetites? Will you discipline your actions. Will you be wise with your associations? Will you submit your attitudes to God? We see how pride affected Sampson.
How about your attitudes? Do you hold bitterness against others because you think you’ve been wronged? Unforgiveness, vengeance, and selfishness are also attitudes for those Jesus died. Will you crucify your pride? Let Jesus take over these areas of your life.
Prayer: Lord, Jesus show me where I am being prideful that I might surrender it to the cross.
