There is a very cleaver coffee cup that reads, "Do not be afraid of trying new things, remember amateurs built the Ark, and professionals built the Titanic." Noah armed with God's leading, instruction, and materials built an Ark that would save mankind and animal kind. In contrast, the Titanic, the most advanced cruise ship of the time was built by 'brilliant' engineers and sunk, killing 1,500 passengers. One vessel was built in humility, the other in human pride. In fact, the architect of the Titanic said, "not even God can sink this ship," and yet He did, for Icebergs are made by God. Pride is a path to ruination, the famous proverb in the Bible goes, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18). The exact words that describes the Titanic's fate, which sailed at knots beyond safety to achieve a grand feat of arriving in San Francisco early.
Human pride is a cancer that destroys lives. According to Solomon it is an abomination to God, "Every one [that is] proud in heart [is] an abomination to the LORD: [though] hand [join] in hand, he shall not be unpunished." (Proverbs 16:5). Human pride is hubris and figment of the imagination. For God formed all men in the womb () and the abilities that he has and the triumphs he achieves all must give honor to God the Creator Jesus Christ or else he shall be humbled, even unto death! For the Apostle Paul says, "As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me has also died." (Galatians 6:14). Had only the captain and engineers of the Titanic heeded these words, then they might all be alive. Then again the titanic fall of the Titanic may have all along been a warning unto us of what happens when men get egos and become conceited. The Apostle warns us, "[Be] of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." (Romans 12:16). We are not to puff ourselves up over what we know, our strengthens, or for self ambitions. For it is written, "For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (1 John 2:16).
Pride has many definitions and so let us be clear. It is not be proud or glade over your good work, skills, family, and so forth; this really could be translated happy and thankful. The kind of pride that sunk the Titanic and that God detests is this kind of pride, "1. a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc." (Dictionary.com). It is to believe that you are superior than others, gifted, deserve to lord over others and be considered more special, when the Apostles Peter and Paul say, "Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism," (Acts 10:34) and "For God does not show favoritism," (Romans 2:11), and "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you." (Galatians 3:28-29). Proud people assume they ate superior, more important, merit more even from God, and deserve to be treated better than others; and they often participate in feats, actions, and deeds that express their superiority, like in case of Titanic architect who wanted his prized vessel to go faster than protocol to make his name and his vessel famous in the papers. Well he got what he wanted, the Titanic ended up in papers, only instead of breaking record in speed, it broke records in speedy deaths at sea!
While I am quoting from James Cameron film's adaptation of the events, and people involved in the Titanic disaster, Cameron did research and he even featured another film that was purely fact based at the then Paramount Great America, CA (I attended it). Forgive if I am not quoting perfectly the historical sources, even if the architect did not utter "not even God can sink this ship," the crew were haughty to have gone nearly at top speed in waters they were warned were unsafe, "Titanic received six warnings of sea ice on 14 April but was travelling near her maximum speed when her lookouts sighted the iceberg. Unable to turn quickly enough, the ship suffered a glancing blow that buckled her starboard (right) side and opened five of her sixteen compartments to the sea. Titanic had been designed to stay afloat with four of her forward compartments flooded but not more, and the crew soon realised that the ship would sink." (Wikipedia). Interesting the number of compartments that flooded was five, the number of Christ's wounds (head, both hands, side, and feet).
We must not become proud, for God resists the proud, "Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore subject yourselves to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:5-7). Had only those in charge of Titanic heeded these words, for within that line we see why she sank, "God resist the proud, but gives grace to the humble," had the ship gone at a slow speed through icy waters it could have navigated around the icebergs and 1,500 people might have lived (deo volente). We must be careful to not believe we are superior to laws God has placed in this world like physics, or disregard His virtues lest we imperil ourselves! So take heed, your sense of superiority can end in sinking beneath freezing seas.
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