At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16: 11)
“When pride cometh, then cometh shame: But with the lowly is wisdom.”
Proverbs 11:2
We know from Scripture that pride is sinful and that humility is good. That is pretty straightforward. But this proverb tells us something in addition to that. This proverb tells us that pride cannot see what is coming, and humility understands what is going on.
In earthly affairs, we seek out the high ground in order to be able to see further. Houses on a ridge are most expensive because of the view. In military matters, the general wants to stand on the mountain to survey the terrain. Zacchaeus climbed up in a tree in order to be able to see Jesus better. But, as William Gurnall pointed out, if he had climbed up there in order to be seen better, the whole thing would have been quite different.
The haughty man takes his place at the head table in order to be able to survey the room. He positions himself to be able to get there, and perhaps throws an elbow or two. But Jesus, presumably in the back of the room, saw the whole thing. The carnal proud man climbs up in order to be able to see, but what he does not see is the approaching shame. And the person who is willing to take the lowest place discovers that this enables him to see quite well.
So pride is conceited and foolish, and humility is wise. This of course excludes the faux-humility which is nothing more than pride in a fetal position. There is the unctuous person, who is constantly going on about how worthless he is, but he is doing this in order to be the center of attention. He may consider himself the least talented person in the room, but at the same time his hang dog approach declares that he wants everyone else to drop everything and treat him as the most important person in the room. This is not true humility. There is not that much difference between a man who climbs a tree to be seen and a man who crawls under the table to be seen. Wisdom has fled from both.
But for the lowly, the lowly and humble man in truth, there is true wisdom.
