There's an old saying: "Coming events cast their shadows before them." Solomon teaches us that a proud heart is the shadow that destruction casts ahead of itself. Pride predicts destruction more reliably than a barometer predicts rain. Far more infallibly!

When men ride the high horse, destruction always overtakes them. Always. Look at David, his heart aching when he realized he'd been drunk on his own greatness. See Nebuchadnezzar, the mighty builder of Babylon—crawling on all fours, devouring grass like an ox, his nails grown into bird's claws, his hair matted like eagle's feathers. Pride made the boaster a beast, as once before it made an angel a devil.

God hates high looks, and never fails to bring them down. All the arrows of God are aimed at proud hearts.

O Christian, is your heart haughty this evening? For pride can get into the Christian's heart as well as into the sinner's. It deludes us into dreaming that we're "rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." Are you glorying in your graces? Your talents? Are you proud of yourself, that you've had holy frames and sweet experiences?

Mark me, reader—there is a destruction coming to you also. Your flaunting poppies of self-conceit will be pulled up by the roots! Your mushroom graces will wither in the burning heat! Your self-sufficiency shall become as straw for the dunghill!

If we forget to live at the foot of the cross in deepest lowliness of spirit, God will not forget to make us smart under his rod. A destruction will come to you, O unduly exalted believer—the destruction of your joys and of your comforts, though there can be no destruction of your soul.

Wherefore, "He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."