Did you know that there are 3106 known species of termites in the world?  I didn’t until I looked it up.  From this number there are only 183 species that cause damage.  Of these 183 species only 83 species cause damage to wooden structures and in North America only 9 of those live here.  But let me tell you, those 9 species can ruin a structure. Termites live in colonies that range between a few hundred to millions.  In the southern United States alone these pests cause around $1.5 Billion in damage each year.

            The pesky creatures build tunnels through the wood eating their way through leaving only thin walls to conceal themselves.  Enough time and termites will so weaken a structure that it will collapse.

            I have never experienced the damage of termites (and hope I never do) but I did see a movie once during which two movers with a truck load of furniture was making a delivery deep in the country.  The route they were given to take took them across an old covered bridge.  I remember one of the movers telling the other one “that’s no bridge.  That’s termites holding hands!”  They proceeded across the bridge and barely got across because it began collapsing as they were going across.

            In our spiritual house termites could be compared to those things that erode away our relationship with the Lord.  As we have already established in this series, they won’t cause you to lose your salvation because only a conscience decision to turn away from Christ can do that, but they can lead to such an attitude.  These things include negative emotions such as fear, worry, anger, wrath and hatred.  Another “biggie” that will erode our relationship is pride.  Let’s specifically deal with that one now.  In Luke 18:9-14 we read “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men – extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’” 

            Jesus had a way of really bringing a point home.  He was speaking expressly to a group who prided themselves in being righteous (more than likely a group of Pharisees).  He used the example of a Pharisee who knew much about the scripture but knew little of its practice.  He compared this “religious man” with a tax collector.  Tax collectors were hated because their job was to gather the taxes for the local and Roman Governments which included a poll tax, a land tax and an import/export tax.  He was allowed to set up anywhere he deemed it a good place and he was also allowed to collect extra which he kept for himself.  Because of his job and his extortion ways of collecting he was hated by all. 

            In Jesus’ parable we see the pride of the Pharisee.  He bragged to God about his practices and even spoke in a derogatory way about the tax collector near him.  I am certain that the tax collector heard his words.  He received his glory in his pride but did not go away justified.  Because of his arrogant pride his prayer was nothing but a selfish self-elation.  God hated it and rejected the Pharisee.

            But the tax collector stood afar off the Bible says, and in his shame and humble attitude before God could not even raise his eyes upward but beat himself on the chest and begged “God be merciful to me a sinner.”  His sin was not accepted in the eyes of God.  But his repenting was.  Of him Jesus said that he went down to his house justified rather than the other.  His attitude made all the difference.  He wasn’t lifted up with pride as the Pharisee.  But he acknowledged his sin and God counted that act to him for righteousness.

            Pride can be an awfully destructive termite in our spiritual house.  To avoid it we must examine our hearts daily to be sure we aren’t comparing ourselves to others.  We need to be humbled daily and recognize our need for repentance.  We must come to God every day in this way and we won’t be lifted up in pride.  For as Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.”

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.?  Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.