Being Conceited Digs Your Own Grave

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him.

Proverbs 26:12 

The same point when we think we have figured everything out is the same point that we come to the harsh realities of life and realize that we have figured out nothing… The Bible refers countless times to the importance of remaining humble and always seeking to learn and grow… Eartha Kitt said, “I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma.” What is the difference between a wise man in his own conceit and a fool? This question has been put forth within this proverb and the answer can be found in these words. The wise man spoken of in this passage believes he is wise in his own regard; this is a scary concept that plagues a lot of mankind in this day and age.

We get a little money in our pockets, a “dream job” and all of a sudden we have a sense that we have arrived… We feel that we are entitled to look down on others and flaunt our success… Solomon is driving us to remember who is at the helm, who touches you in the morning, clothes you in your right mind, and sheds His grace upon your life… When we are conceited, we believe that nobody can tell us anything, we believe that we can do whatever we want whenever we want, and that all of our life decisions are true and pure. This can’t be any further from the truth… 

Jesus said that if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This wise man will never confess, because he doesn’t see any wrong. Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a “rich man” to enter heaven… This speaks to the heart of a conceited person, this kind of person refuses to humble himself, denies the flaws that are present within their lives, and tries to paint this picture of perfection… That is why there is more hope for a fool, a fool acknowledges himself for what he is, and he doesn’t try to pretend… The fool has come to a realization that he is messing up, the people around him have told him of his faults and he has acknowledged that there are things in his life that he needs to change, but until that happens, he is of no use to God. A fool is a con, a dupe, and a deceiver. This means that this person is a liar, a cheat, and a backstabber! Both people portrayed here are on the wrong path; however, the fool has a better chance at salvation because he knows his faults, the question is, is he willing to change them? 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!