A Haughty Spirit Goes Before A Fall

A little over 4 years ago, a young mother entered a bookstore with her two small children and a large pregnant belly. Her children were both very well-behaved and stayed close to her legs.

There were other children in the bookstore who were wildly running in circles around their mother who happened to be checking out of the store.

The first mother was feeling a tad bit smug about her extremely quiet, perfect children. As she lovingly smoothed their silky hair, a welling up of pride for her precious angels filled her soul (at least that's what I'm guessing she was feeling...ahem.)

As soon as the hyena children left the building, the mother and her two proper children advanced into the bookstore.  The smiling mother was quite sure the clerk noticed the stark difference between her children and the unruly children who had loudly exited just a minute before.  She hoped the clerk knew it was because of her awesome mothering skills.

Right after this conceited thought entered the young mother's mind, her beautiful children skipped over to the nearest bookshelf, touched everything, and laughed as the books fell to the ground.

The Lord taught the young mother a very important lesson that day in the bookstore.  A lesson she's never forgotten. 

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."  Proverbs 16:18

At least I'm guessing she hasn't forgotten it...I wouldn't know for sure.  ;)