In an age defined by self-promotion, personal branding, and relentless self-celebration, the timeless wisdom of Scripture speaks with startling clarity. The book of Book of Proverbs delivers a sobering warning in chapter 6, verse 17: “A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.” These are listed among the things the Lord detests. This passage is not merely poetic moral instruction; it is a spiritual diagnosis of the human condition—one that feels especially urgent in our present era.
This reflection, inspired by a sermon delivered by Apostle Dr. Oluleye Ali, Senior Pastor of Shelter Rock Christian Center, Ibadan, explores the enduring relevance of these Scriptures and the eternal principle of trusting in God as the ultimate source of all things.
The Sin of Pride: Forgetting the Source
The warning against “a proud look” is deliberate. Pride is not just self-confidence; it is the elevation of self above truth. Scripture consistently teaches that whatever we possess—talent, wealth, opportunity, influence—is received, not self-generated. As the Bible repeatedly affirms, every good and perfect gift comes from above.
When individuals begin to celebrate themselves as though their achievements were purely the product of their own ability, they unconsciously diminish God in their hearts. They make Him small in their perception. Yet the reality remains: there is nothing we have that we did not receive.
The apostle Paul echoes this truth when he challenges believers: “What do you have that you did not receive?” The message is simple but profound—human achievement is never independent of divine allowance.
The Scriptures also foretell that one of the signs of the last days would be increasing boastfulness among men. Indeed, in today’s world, self-exaltation is often rewarded. Social media platforms thrive on curated pride. Recognition is pursued relentlessly. Yet the Word of God calls believers to humility, reminding us that pride precedes destruction.
To be proud is to disconnect from the Source.
God Weighs the Heart: The Precision of Divine Judgment
In Book of Proverbs 16:2, we read: “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weighs the spirits.” This verse dismantles human self-justification. While individuals may rationalize their actions and convince themselves of their righteousness, God evaluates with precision.
Divine judgment is not based merely on outward performance but on inward intention. God weighs motives. He measures sincerity. He discerns what others cannot see.
This is both comforting and sobering. Comforting because God understands our struggles beyond public perception. Sobering because nothing is hidden from Him.
We may deceive men. We may manipulate narratives. But before God, our hearts are transparent.
The Unreliability of Man vs. the Faithfulness of God
It is not wisdom to place ultimate trust in man. Human beings, by nature, are fallible. They are capable of falsehood, inconsistency, and betrayal. This is not cynicism—it is biblical realism.
In Book of Numbers 23:19, Scripture declares: “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent.” This powerful statement contrasts divine faithfulness with human limitation.
Man can promise and fail. Man can intend well and falter. Man can change with circumstances.
But God does not lie. He does not revise His integrity. He does not wake up in a different mood. His character is constant.
Human beings are mortal. They age. They weaken. They die. No matter how influential or wealthy a person may be today, tomorrow is not guaranteed. Trusting entirely in mortal flesh is therefore spiritually dangerous.
Only the immortal God is eternally reliable.
The Law of the Source: Sustained by What Created You
A foundational spiritual principle emerges from Book of Genesis 1:12: the source of a thing determines its sustainability. In the creation account, each seed produces after its kind. The earth yields according to what was planted.
The source sustains the product.
This principle extends beyond agriculture into spiritual reality. Humanity’s source is God. Therefore, separation from God leads to spiritual deterioration.
Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden illustrates this truth. Adam was sustained by divine fellowship. When he chose disobedience—acting contrary to the instruction of his Source—he introduced separation, which ultimately led to death. He violated the law of the Source.
The lesson is profound: when we move against the One who sustains us, we destabilize our own existence.
Whatever God cannot give, we must not attempt to take by alternative means. When individuals seek success, influence, or provision outside of God’s principles, they violate the sustaining law of their Source.
The Influence of Man and the Danger of Misplaced Dependence
Human beings possess influence. They can open doors—or close them. They can recommend—or reject. Yet influence is fragile.
A person who is willing to help today may lose capacity tomorrow. Economic downturns, policy changes, illness, or unforeseen crises can shift fortunes rapidly. As Scripture notes elsewhere, time and chance happen to all.
Even governments change policies. Economic systems fluctuate. Wealth evaporates. Political alliances dissolve.
The Bible offers a striking example in the account of Herod’s banquet, where the dancing daughter of Herodias influenced the execution of John the Baptist. A single moment of manipulated influence altered the course of a life. This narrative reveals how easily human decisions can be swayed by external pressures, ambition, or even dark inspiration.
If man can be influenced against you, then man cannot be your ultimate security.
Time, Chance, and the Fragility of Earthly Power
History consistently demonstrates that power is temporary. Empires rise and fall. Economies expand and contract. Leaders ascend and are replaced.
A person with wealth today may face bankruptcy tomorrow. A government policy can alter financial stability overnight. Opportunities are subject to timing. Favor can be seasonal.
The biblical wisdom tradition recognizes this unpredictability. Life under the sun includes variables beyond human control.
Time affects strength. Chance affects outcomes. Circumstances affect influence.
But God remains unchanged.
This is why Scripture repeatedly instructs believers not to rely on princes or mortal men in whom there is no lasting help. It is not that human relationships lack value—they are essential—but they are not absolute foundations.
Making God Big Again: Restoring Proper Perspective
One of the most subtle spiritual errors is shrinking God in our perception. When success arrives, we attribute it solely to networking, intelligence, or strategy. When doors open, we credit connections alone.
Gradually, self becomes central.
Yet Scripture invites believers to magnify the Lord—to enlarge their understanding of His sovereignty. To make God “big” again in our consciousness is to recognize His providence behind every opportunity.
Humility restores alignment with the Source.
When we focus on the Source rather than the channel, we preserve spiritual stability. Channels change. Sources do not.
Trusting the Immortal Source
Man is limited in resources. God possesses all resources. Man operates within time. God stands outside time. Man can be persuaded or corrupted. God is incorruptible.
Trusting God does not eliminate human relationships—it orders them properly. It means recognizing that people are instruments, not origins. Helpers are vessels, not foundations.
If God is your Source, then no human blockage can permanently frustrate His purpose. If God sustains you, then shifting circumstances cannot ultimately destroy you.
The call, therefore, is simple yet demanding:
Do not oppose the law of your Source. Do not pursue what God cannot authorize. Do not exalt yourself above the Giver. Do not anchor your hope in mortal flesh.
Instead, cultivate humility. Guard your tongue against falsehood. Reject violence and injustice. Align your heart with God’s weighing standard. Remember that pride is destructive, but dependence on God is sustaining.
Conclusion: A Timeless Warning for a Modern World
The warnings of Book of Proverbs are not outdated religious clichés. They are divine insights into human vulnerability. Pride, deceit, misplaced trust, and rebellion against our Source remain the central dangers of every generation.
As inspired by the sermon of Apostle Dr. Oluleye Ali in Ibadan, this message resonates deeply in a time when self-sufficiency is idolized and dependence on God is often dismissed.
Yet the eternal truth stands:
The Source sustains what He creates. The immortal God outlasts mortal men. The humble heart attracts divine favor. And whatever we have, we first received.
In a world driven by pride and shifting alliances, anchoring our trust in God is not only spiritual wisdom—it is existential security.
Focus on the Source.
0 Comments