(箴言 18:12)
“敗壞之先，人心驕傲．尊榮以前，必有謙卑。”
這節經文為我們帶來了強烈的對比。所謂的敗壞，是指生命徹底的崩潰與粉碎，而導致這種慘劇的原因往往源於人心的驕傲。很多時候，當我們在事業或生活上取得成就，完成了一項艱鉅的任務時，很容易會覺得這一切都是憑藉自己的聰明、智慧、能力、財力或人脈。這種將所有功勞歸於自己的心態，就是驕傲的表現。我們必須認清一個事實：任何人的成功，背後必定有上帝的幫助。若我們強行將這份功勞據為己有，最終只會引向生命的崩潰與挫敗。
相反地，經文提到的尊榮在希伯來文中含有一種重量的意思，代表一個人的生命穩打穩紮，贏得他人由衷的尊重。這種生命的份量並非靠表面功夫得來，而是源於謙卑。謙卑並不等同於自卑，而是一種清醒的認知，明白若不依靠耶穌，我們其實什麼也做不了。
在現實生活中，成功時感到飄飄然是很輕易的事，要保持謙卑反而非常困難。然而，一個驕傲的人無法獲得真正的尊重，且生命終將面臨敗壞。求主幫助我們在每天的生活中，能承認自己的不足，並將一切榮耀歸於神。
(Proverbs 18:12)
“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.”
This verse brings us a striking contrast. Destruction refers to the complete collapse and shattering of a life, and the cause of such a tragedy often stems from the pride of the human heart. Many times, when we achieve success in our careers or lives and complete a daunting task, it is easy to feel that it was all due to our own cleverness, wisdom, ability, wealth, or connections. This mindset of taking all the credit for oneself is the very manifestation of pride. We must recognize one fact: behind anyone’s success, there is surely the help of God. If we forcibly claim this credit as our own, it will ultimately lead only to life’s collapse and defeat.
On the contrary, the honor mentioned in the scripture carries a sense of weight in Hebrew, representing a life that is steady and firm, earning the heartfelt respect of others. This kind of weight in life is not achieved through superficial efforts but originates from humility. Humility is not the same as low self-esteem; rather, it is a clear realization that without depending on Jesus, we can actually do nothing.
In real life, it is very easy to feel carried away when successful, while remaining humble is quite difficult. However, a proud person cannot gain true respect, and their life will eventually face destruction. May the Lord help us in our daily lives to acknowledge our inadequacies and give all glory to God.
