The Bottom Line, Ministries Christian News, Articles, & Poetry 
“not even God himself could sink this ship”
(employee of the White Star Line, 1911 launch of Titanic)
They named her Titanic and it suited her. She was a beauty, the largest, most luxurious ship to ever sail when she left port at Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912. She was filled with beautifully crafted furnishings, bright oriental rugs, and gorgeous chandeliers throwing light on her loveliness.
Her builders believed that this queen of the seas could not sink, so they didn’t fit her with enough lifeboat space for every passenger traveling aboard. But over-confidence would be her demise and that of over half of the souls she carried toward New York on the cold night of April 14, 1912. An ominous telegram sent word that the British steamer had collided with an iceberg causing severe bow damage, the extent not known. Titanic would sink into her watery grave less than three hours later.
It’s not likely that most believed that God Himself could not sink a ship if He wanted to, it was merely an expression of pride in the majesty of the luxury liner called Titanic. But pride in our hearts is more insidious, and much more dangerous. Like an iceberg, it can hide itself in our abilities and strengths, making us believe that we can do things on our own. Without even being aware, we can take an attitude that we are able to do things in our own capabilities alone. But God calls this kind of pride an offensive sin:
Everyone who is proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; Be assured he will not go unpunished. Proverbs 16:5
Strong words against the sin of pride for sure! The bible warns that it goes before destruction. It is so ingrained in our human nature, what can we do to overcome its icy grip? A good start is found in Romans:
For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service]. Romans 12:3
Another article stated masterfully well and the Lord has put the words in your heart to say for our correction.
With opened eyes we see our own erroneous behavior in this area of our lives. Just added proof of our sinful condition.
As I look into my own heart I see a person who displays a clouded mind when things happen that are unpleasant especially in the area of being affronted with an unkind word about something I did or said that can set me off when I believed it wasn’t so.
The irritation is like that iceberg and I find it difficult to express in a rational way my thoughts and control over my emotions in those settings. Unfortunately pride gets in my way and tips the boat and then comes the unloading on someone for such remarks. Just shows how well we want to be coveting our own self image. The Lord needs to help me see what I really am apart from Him which is a flawed natured person.
All the more reason that I need to stay closer to Jesus and let Him take over instead of me making a foolish display of the matter that leads to regret and an apology and even a ruined testimony of our confession of our life’s in Him.
Thank you for letting the a Lord use your writing to speak to those out there. Praying that there will be many who read articles from this site.
Hello there, Cora!
Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts with me. I know I need the reminder that I cannot do it on my own regularly. I think we all struggle with the thought that we can do things in our own power. It can certainly lead to pride in a hurry!
Have a blessed week! Lisa