pride has a fall

[year2027]

PRIDE HAS A FALL

It was high autumn. An olive tree and a fig tree stood near each other. The fig tree had lost all his leaves and became quite bare. Seeing his neighbour, the olive tree puffed up with pride.

The olive tree taunted the fig tree, �How unlucky you are! You lose your leaves every autumn to be bare. But I flourish all the year round.�

The fig tree argued, �Friend! It�s my destiny to be bare and yours to be evergreen. But there is nothing to feel small or proud about it. It is out of control of both of us.�

Few days later, there occurred a snow-fall. The snow settled on the leaves of the olive tree and gave way under its heavy weight. But as for the fig tree, the snow fell to the ground through its bare branches and it survived the snow-storm.

The Story of Pride

The Glamour Grooming Parlor was open for business.

Poo-deen, the pink poodle and MeMe, the black and white skunk sat side by side waiting their turn to be groomed.

Poo-deen had quite a background. She came from a long line of champion poodles and considered a pedigree. This means that her mother and father and even her grandparents were 100% poodle, no mixtures. She carried papers proving this at all times, and was very proud indeed.

“I’ve been taught by educated dogs in music and art, and I always say and do the right thing,” she said. “And you should see my college degrees.”

MeMe, the black and white skunk was always looking at herself in a mirror. She was so concerned about how she looked that she barely heard what others were saying to her.

“I’m crazy about me,” she said. “I love to think and talk about me. I love myself a little more each day. Tell me Poo-deen, do you think I should dye my white stripe red? You know how well red and black go together.”

“Oh, do what you want,” replied Poo-deen. “Whatever! Say did you know that my grandfather was a great show dog? He won ‘Best of Show’ many times.”

“Is that right,” yawned MeMe. “I am wondering. Do you think my new hair bow shows off my eyes?”

Just then, a very messy looking dog entered the Glamour Grooming Parlor. His hair was all tangled and dirty.

“Well! Will you look at that,” cried Poo-deen. “They just let anyone come to this place. I’ll bet he has no breeding or any papers at all. I think I feel a little faint.”

“I’m sick and tired of waiting here all day. They haven’t even offered us juice or anything to drink,” whined Poo-deen. “Let’s leave here immediately before we get fleas. Tomorrow we will find a much better place to be groomed.”

Suddenly, they heard a small voice saying, “Please don’t go yet.” They had not noticed a small table near by, which held a lamp and a Bible.

And there, out of the open Bible sat a little green worm wearing a graduation hat. “Hi,” he said. “I’m the Bible Book Worm, and I could not help but overhear the two of you talking. We all have situations that come up in life that are hard for us. I am not here to judge you, as only God can do that. I am simply a helper. Because I live in God’s Word, the Bible, I have studied and learned a lot about God’s ways. I would like to share with you Proverbs 6:16 where it says that pride is a very bad sin. In fact it is at the top of the list of sins. And that reminds me of a little poem.”

When we’ve tasted of success

And it gives us quite a thrill

When our thoughts are full of pride

For our talent, looks or skill

Then we really need to know

That all blessings in each case

Come to us from God alone

And from His loving grace

“The Bible also talks about becoming self-centered. This means thinking too much about ourselves,” continued the Bible Book Worm. “It says right here in Psalm 119:78, ‘Let the proud people be put to shame.’ We are told to love one another as we would love ourselves and not be filled with pride, jealousy or rudeness. We are not to look down our nose at others, and we definitely are not to brag about ourselves.”

Poo-deen just held her nose up a little higher and did not seem to like what the Bible Book Worm was saying.

“You know, I did not make this up,” he said. “It is God telling us these things through His Word, the Bible. He wants the very best for us. If we will obey His Word, we can grow spiritually, and have happiness on the inside and a wonderful life on this earth.”

MeMe looked as though she was thinking very deeply.

“I think I understand,” said MeMe. “I guess we can say because of sin in our lives we stink to God. That makes sense to me. Others say I stink anyway, but only when I get a little nervous about something.”

The Bible Book Worm looked pleased, and he said, It is good to see our need to change. That is the first step. Then we must understand HOW to change our thinking and how to live the Christian life. In the Bible in I John 1: 9, we are told the answer to our sin problems. It says there, ‘If we NAME our sins to God, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to clean us from all unrighteousness.’ This means that when we are honest to tell him the sins that we have done, He will clean us from those sins and also from the sins we did not know about or understand. Then we can continue our friendship with Him.” This is called having fellowship with God.”

Poo-deen looked very sad. “I’ve had enough of green worms and the Bible. I’m leaving now! Are you coming MeMe?”

“No, I think I need to stay and learn more about what the Bible has to say,” answered MeMe.

So Poo-deen, who was too proud to listen to anyone, left the Glamour Grooming Parlor, slamming the door very hard.

A few moments later, a cry was heard. “Help, Help,” someone cried.

MeMe hurried out of the door to see what was happening. There on the front steps lay Poo-deen, moaning. “I tripped on the top step, and I need a doctor right now!” she yelled.

MeMe ran back to tell the Bible Book Worm what had happened.

“By all means, we should call a doctor for her,” he said. Sadly he shook his head and continued. “I was concerned about you both, but MeMe, when you seemed to realize what the Bible had to say and wanted to change your thinking, I had hope. However, Poo-deen didn’t seem to care, and now she is hurt. Her own silly pride is keeping her from learning God’s ways. But, there is still time. It is her choice. Now listen very carefully, the Bible is very clear about this:

PRIDE GOES BEFORE

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[year2027]

The Price of Pride

This is one story from the book "The Best Thirteen: A collection of the best stories from 13 languages of India".

You know that a pearl can be so valuable that it is said to be without price. Pearls are formed inside oysters who live on the ocean-bed inside their shells. This is the story of one such oyster.

This oyster was very pleased with himself because he believed that he was the most important creature in the world. Of course, the silkworm was quite useful too, but silk did not fetch the same price as pearls, so the oyster felt that he had good reason to think well of himself.

One day, there was a great storm in the sea. The waves were high and rough, and the elements so frightening that our friend, the oyster, clamped down the lid of his frail shell, and stayed firmly on the sea floor. He thought it beneath his dignity to try and move towards the shore for safety. The waves were so strong though that, in spite of his resolve, he and his shell were picked up and flung on to the shore. Finding himself on an open beach, he cautiously lifted the lid of his shell and, through the slit, peeped out at the world. As he was peering about, another big wave picked him up, and threw him further up on to the sand. Now, this was really alarming! The waves washed over him and rolled him about, but none of them was powerful enough to pull him back into the sea; and the poor oyster stayed where he was. There was no way of getting back into the sea, and he became extremely angry.

There was a small tree near the shore. A crow sat on it for a long time, watching the plight of the oyster. Finally, he flew down and knocked on the shell with his beak. "Who’s inside? Open the door," he asked sharply.

The oyster was displeased. "Some vulgar wretch is trying to disturb me," he said to himself, then shouted, "Who is it?"

"I am not a wretch. I am a crow. And a clever crow at that. Open the door and come out."

"Why should I come out?"

"Just to have a little chat, that’s all," said the crow smoothly.

"I haven’t time to chat -- and I’m not coming out."

"Well, all right then. But what are you doing in there?"

"I’m busy making a pearl. And anyway, why should I bother to talk to a nasty, ugly thing like you," said the oyster grandly.

"Oho -- how superior," laughed the crow. "My dear friend, all I wanted was to ask you a few questions about the shape and size of the sea and I wanted to tell you a few things about the wide world outside."

"Why?"

"Because I’m very interested in Science. I live on the roof of a university and I hear all the lectures of the Science professor, so I’ve become fond of Science. That’s why I want to hear about the sea, and what happens there. Do you find doves’ and sparrows’ eggs there?"

"What rubbish!" said the oyster curtly. "As if you have doves and sparrows in the sea."

"But that’s just what I wanted to know from you."

"Don’t ask such silly questions," the oyster said. "The sea has millions of shells -- like mine. But I am the greatest of all, so I don’t talk to the other shells. There are thousands of varieties of coloured fish, and thousands of different plants, and that is all. And there are no silly, stupid animals like you down there."

The crow laughed. "I don’t mind you calling me stupid, but actually I’m not stupid. I’m a crow -- and a clever crow too. But, old pal, you are telling me all this from inside your little den. Why don’t you come out?"

"Haven’t you any manners? How dare you be so familiar. I’m no pal of yours."

"Well, you do talk as if you were the king of the sea!"

"Of course -- I’m the one who makes pearls which make the sea famous. It’s all because of me," said the oyster.

"In that case," said the crow with a chuckle, "I simply must have a look at you because I’ve never yet seen such a wonderful thing."

"I’m not a thing -- I am the oyster that makes pearls."

"All right, all right. But please, Your Majesty, won’t you come out, and give me the opportunity to have a look at you?" the crow said good-humouredly.

"No. No. No. No. I can’t open the door. I’m very busy."

"You can make your pearl later. Just open the door -- I’m only a poor, ordinary crow who wants to look at someone as important as you -- someone who can make a pearl. I want to see the pearl too. You see, I’ve never seen a pearl before in my life."

"I’ve just told you that I won’t open the door. And if you think you’re so clever, why don’t you open it yourself."

The oyster could taunt him like this because he was sure that the crow would never be able to open the lid of his shell.

But now the crow was angry.

"All right, if that’s what you want," he said. "I’ll show you. And don’t blame me if you don’t like what happens."

The crow picked up the shell in his beak and flew off with it -- high, high up. He reached a ledge of rock; and from his great height he dropped the shell straight on the rock. The shell splintered into a million fragments. The crow swooped down after it. He grabbed the oyster in his beak, and in one gulp, swallowed it.

The crow then caught sight of the pearl as it was rolling away from him. He watched the priceless pearl as it fell into a blob of cowdung. Then he lifted himself once more into the air, and flew away, cawing happily.

[geisha779]

http://www.greasespo...ength-of-posts/

[waysider]

Pride has a fall....and rightly so.

Because, like The Good Book says, "To everything there is a *season*."

[year2027]

God first

thanks waysider

yes everything has a season my friend

that all I wanted to say

the story of "PRIDE HAS A FALL"

was my first part I did not add "The Story of Pride" but the board done it when found more on same subject

I posted a reply

as I have done again with "The Price of Pride"

all parts are what

about the same thing pride which we all have

with love and a holy kiss Roy