Pride goes before destruction,
a haughty spirit before a fall.
—Proverbs 16:18
Arrogance zaps nations.
The Edomites were a cocky bunch. “No one can bring me down” they crowed. “I will bring you down,” said the Lord (Obad. 3, 4).
And how about Babylon? “I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty . . . Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the Babylonians’ pride, will be overthrown by God” (Isa. 13:11, 19).
Edom and Babylon both bit the dust and disappeared from history.
Arrogance also torpedoes individuals.
Inflated pride in her beauty reduces the head-turner from attractive to obnoxious—as does the pride of the successful in his success, the talented in her talent, the scholar in his scholarship, the pious in her piety . . . even the humble in his humility.
Vanity is distasteful to those who see it and destructive to those who have it.
Arrogance is a strange disease—it makes
everybody sick except the one who has it.