Sinking Ship of Pride

When Ephraim spoke, people trembled; he was exalted in Israel. But he became guilty of Baal worship and died. 2 Now they sin more and more; they make idols for themselves from their silver, cleverly fashioned images, all of them the work of craftsmen. It is said of these people, “They offer human sacrifices! They kiss[a] calf-idols!” 3 Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears, like chaff swirling from a threshing floor, like smoke escaping through a window.

Hosea 13:1-3

Before, when the tribe of Ephraim spoke, the people trembled because they exalted the Lord in worship. But when they turned to idol worship, they lost their influence. Once respected, they fell from grace due to their unfaithfulness. Their faith and respect vanished like the morning mist as soon as they turned away from God. He has been faithful unto them since they were freed from their captivity under Egypt. It is there where they found the commandment to acknowledge no other gods except God himself. Yet as they were satisfied and prospered, they began to wane in their faith and neglected their worship unto the Lord. The Lord warns of a great judgment that will be as fierce as a lion tearing its prey. Yet, even in judgment, God offers hope—He has the power to redeem those who turn back to Him in repentance. If the people will simply acknowledge the Lord and His power, the Lord will redeem them from death and destruction.

Do you remember the story about how the Titanic sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean? It is a cautionary tale about pride sinking what was once seen as successful. The ship was considered unsinkable due to its advanced design and engineering, leading to overconfidence among its builders and crew. Several mistakes were made because of this pride, such as the decision to carry an insufficient number of lifeboats. The captain, confident in the ship's capabilities, maintained a high speed through icy waters ignoring iceberg warnings from other ships. When the Titanic struck an iceberg, the lack of preparation and the belief that disaster was impossible resulted in tragic loss of life, demonstrating how pride can lead to downfall.

When I was working in fashion, there were several companies that were indicted and arrested by the authorities for money laundering. I remember one morning come to work and right in front there were several black vans parked with local authorities pointing their guns to a storefront. Several news stations were pointing their camera from a distance. I remember entering the office and asking my boss what was going on. He told me that the owners were arrested for money laundering. He couldn’t believe what happened because they used to be faithful members at a local church in Koreatown. Then he said he saw several red flags that should’ve been addressed earlier. They were cutting corners to make a higher profit for themselves. They were treating their workers poorly with horrendous pay for long hours. They were lying to their customer base about their apparel products. Multiple exploitations so that they can earn more money for themselves.

Initially, they began the business on the principles of honesty, customer care, and integrity yet they began to shift their focus and priority of those values because they were becoming more successful, rich, and prosperous. Honestly, when I think about people that have fallen after being so successful - it is often the pride of their success that gets to their head. I have seen many preachers fall because they were too prideful in their successful fame or reputation they gained. 

This is why David fell too right? He was prosperous and successful. He didn’t feel the need to go into battle because he thought he deserved a day of rest. It was on that day when he felt comfortable that he fell into sin by committing adultery and devising a plan to murder his most beloved general. Yet the greatest part of the story is the fact that God still redeemed him at the end because of his repentance and return to obedience unto the Lord. 

We have to be mindful of pride always. We must never be comfortable with our successes and we must remember they are of the Lord. This is why I think it is important to deflect praise unto the Lord whenever someone compliments or gives you praise. Simply say, “Praise the Lord” or something similar to that statement. This practice will help us deflect praise from ourselves but unto the Lord. 

All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. 3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. 4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end— even the wicked for a day of disaster.

Proverbs 16:2-4

Even if our plans and ideas may seem good to our own hearts, we must first seek God above all else prior to making a decision. Only the Lord can reveal unto us what our intentions in the heart are. Any decision or plans that we make, we must always consult with and ask God to give us direction and guidance of where He wants us to go. It is only then that God will work out everything for prosperous results. It says that “in their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” Sometimes there is nothing wrong with having a desire from our heart but we must consult with the Lord to seek if this is the right direction He wants us to go and if it is, then God will create steps ahead for us to take. 

People always talk about what they want to do next in their life or what is God’s will in their life. God’s will for us is to obey Him with a humble heart. It is here God will provide clarity as to what He wants us to do next. 

In connection to our devotions in Hosea, notice what it says in verse 18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Such an important reminder to humble ourselves for when we do, we will avoid the destructive fall in our Christian life. Those that follow the instructions of the Lord will prosper and be blessed.