| Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” |
People are curious in many ways. One way is they think they are better than they are.
Ask someone how good a driver they are, and they will say excellent, even in the presence of a wreck.
But it gets worse when the stakes are higher.
People assume they are immune from sin, that they can take risks, that their souls are coated with Teflon.
But that’s the problem…we are not what we believe ourselves to be.
It happened to one man who exhibited the same weakness his entire life.
In 1867, a brash young military officer was sent on a scouting trip on the Kansas plains. The officer would be known for disaster later in life and you could see it coming. His name was George Armstrong Custer.
Custer kept a pair of greyhounds as companions. On hunts, they alerted him to game. On this day, they charged over a hill toward antelope and Custer followed, leaving his regiment behind.
Now, he had forgotten what he was sent for, and instead, he turned his attention to a buffalo. He spurred the horse, believing the animal was an easy target. He drew his pistols and drew alongside the thundering beast.
But Custer did not fire. Instead, he felt the ground quake beneath the pounding hoofs of the bison. He wanted to “enjoy” the chase.
After a brief time of this kind of “fun,” he thought it time to take his shot. But the buffalo had other intentions. It turned violently, goring the horse. Custer tried to grab the reins, but his finger was on the trigger and accidentally fired. The bullet hit his horse’s head and it collapsed with the hapless hunter on top.
He struggled to his feet only to see the buffalo staring at him. The buffalo considered his win and ambled off.
But Custer was horseless and alone in the vast prairie. He had to take a dangerous walk back to his regiment.
But the tragedy of Custer is not that day but the lesson he refused to learn. In less than a decade, he would plunge his men to their death beside a river called The Little Bighorn.
Solomon knew a single secret. He advises, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
The truth is our greatest weakness is our strength. And our greatest strength is understanding our weaknesses.
Take thought before you believe you can do something. Don’t get yourself into something that puts your life or soul in jeopardy.
Trust God to help rather than our ability to do it by ourselves.
–Robert G. Taylor
robertgtaylor.com
