Proverbs 16:18 English Standard Version (ESV) Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

I play chess and on my best days I was a masters candidate. Few know exactly what that means but it is best understood by thinking in terms of who you will have to play to earn the title.

One night I attended a University of Texas chess club to see what kind of players I might have to match up against. I was watching others play being the odd man out. Then their masters candidate came in from his recent win in a Dallas tournament. Not wanting to interrupt play he asked me if I would like to play a game.

I beat him with a 5 move mating sequence that began with knight and queen sacrifices. It embarrassed him and he challenged me to play again. He was furious that he had lost to a nobody. So I sought to teach him a lesson. I didn’t even try. I made bad move after bad move letting him win easily three games in a row.

His ego was satisfied but the lesson never did sink in. Pride would not allow him to learn the lesson I tried teaching him. The player across the board is a person, not the enemy. How you treat people is more important than winning.

That night I learned that I did not want to be like that boy, full of himself to the point that no one else mattered. Being good at something doesn’t make you a good person. Having a title doesn’t mean you deserve respect. How you treat people matters. Sadly not everyone learns to be considerate of others just because someone shows you consideration.

There are hundreds of characters in the bible. Their mistakes are a warning of consequences. Don’t try to be better than them. Pride will lead you astray.

Isaiah 33:13-16 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹³ Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge my might.
¹⁴ The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: “Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?”
¹⁵ He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,
¹⁶ he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.

Philippians 3:9 English Standard Version (ESV) and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

Marry the Old Testament with the New Testament and we find ourselves to be the Bride of Christ. Our Father in heaven looks upon us as His betrothed. Our right standing before God is only because of who has betrothed Himself to us. We have said yes to this marriage. Now we wait upon the wedding feast.

Exodus 21:9 King James Version (KJV) And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.

God would never ask of us anything that He would not perform Himself. We are betrothed to His Son and He deals with us as His own.

Galatians 4:6 English Standard Version (ESV) And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”

We can stand before God without fear because He is in us, our righteousness is in Christ.