This proverb presents to us three characters, the first character is named Pride, the second character is named Shame, and the third character is named Lowly.

If you look down the road they seem to be walking in a line with Pride in the lead followed by Shame, with Lowly bringing up the rear.

By picturing this proverb in this way it seems to be presenting a lesson in life as to what is on the road of life.

We see the evidence of pride always followed by shame with the result of being made low which in this position may or may not bring wisdom.

It tells us that pride always wants to be first, but it also tells us that pride will always result in shame.

Remember the parable of our Lord in Luke 14 where the admonition was given to not seek out the highest room at the wedding lest a more honorable man come and you are asked to exit the room thereby bringing to yourself shame.

But when you are bidden to the wedding take the lowest room for shame never comes to the lowest room.

Shame always hangs around those who seek the upper rooms, those who seek notice.

And then Christ said in Luke 14:11,  For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Now one of the great gifts of the word of God is its ability to show where things lead.

We have just heard from God’s word that whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased.

Exalting oneself leads one to the basement and not much of value is in the basement!

If I know the word of God I do not have to experience bad things to know things.

Experience is not the best teacher when it comes to what life is about.

God’s word is the best teacher.

Now if you refuse the best teacher God will give you the harsh teacher of experience and this teacher is handy with the switch.

So we see in this proverb that Pride leads to shame.

We don’t hear these words much in the secular world.

If you hear the word pride it is usually used in a positive manner whereby pride is presented as a good thing, pride in one’s country, pride in one’s mate or pride in one’s children etc.

My child is an honor student!

Proud parent of an Outstanding student.

Proud teacher at Berryhill Elementary School.

Even pride is saying:  My child can beat up your honor student!

But this word pride is never used in a good sense in the Bible for it is defined as arrogance, majesty, pomp, swelling, exaltation, lifting up.

Pride which elevates one over another is the source of contention and strife.

You may be right in a thing but in order to project and lift up your rightness you stir up strife or contention but the source of that contention is always pride.

And when you are wrong and you stir up strife or contention the source of that contention is again pride.

Pride shuts off the light to my faults, and it also shuts off the light to your virtues.

But the light is bright when it comes to enhancing my virtues and enlarging your faults.

Pride is always easier to recognize in others than in yourself.

Pride produces contempt of others which results in provoking speech and arrogant behavior.

Can you imagine Jesus Christ being able to see the pride of man in every man and woman and in spite of that super vision, yet love every man and woman?

He had perfect discernment, yet he choose to die for men and women full of pride.

Jesus spoke to such in Luke 18:9: those who "trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:"

It was pride developed to perfection in the Pharisee  "who stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess."

What moved the mother of James and John to seek special office for her sons, but pride?

Pride produced the challenges to the authority that God had given Moses.

Pride produces the itching ears of the apostates; ears that desire special knowledge which in their minds lifts them high above the common folk.

The human heart may even produce pride in those that claim to contend for the faith when in reality they contend for their own advancement and their own profit.

Pride can slip itself in under many covers, even the cover of glorifying God.

As a wise commentator once said, "Pride is the inmost coat, which we put on first and we take off last."

The bottom line is that pride is rebellion against God because it attributes to self the honor and glory due to God alone.

Pride justifies itself by saying honour must be maintained, insult must be avenged, competitors must be vanquished, superiors must be equaled and surpassed, our rights must be protected.

But pride has no understanding of God's Word.

How foreign to the world and to most of us are the words of Jesus in:

Matthew 5:39-42,  But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

One thing we should learn from this is that God does not want us be a man of this world following its ways, its culture, its retributions, its desire for revenge.

God is making us into men and women of distinction, the world desires us to be cookie cutter men and women following its culture.

We are born again to live on a higher plane.

We are created in Christ Jesus to have a humble spirit, a modest spirit, a meek or lowly spirit, a none-strife producing spirit

The man of God is to have a well advised spirit, well advised by the word of God as administered to him by the Holy Spirit of God.

For there is no better advice than there is from the Word of God.

Phillipians 2:3 is the way of life for the well advised spirit,  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

The proud and contentious despise the advice of others and are their own worst enemy.

The humble will not let themselves be drawn into contention and strife.

So our proverb says,  When pride cometh, then cometh shame:

Now here is another word that is shameful in our culture, the word "shame."

God says here that the natural result of pride is shame.

As I have said before if God says something Satan will give his all to undo what God says.

From God’s word we can be sure that shame is good for shame is on the road to wisdom.

But by Satan’s efforts this word shame has become anathema and in Satan’s world it must be banished for shame has no value, but instead it is all a liability.

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines shame this way: To make ashamed, to excite a consciousness of guilt or of doing something derogatory to reputations; to cause to blush.

A modern dictionary defines shame this way: the painful feeling of having done or experienced something dishonorable, improper or foolish.

So the old definition concerns a consciousness of guilt and the new definition concerns a painful feeling.

Satan’s way is the touchy feely way that majors on the emotion.

So what is anathema to today’s culture: it is painful feelings.

Get rid of painful feelings is today’s message.

Don’t’ get rid of what brought about the painful feelings but just get rid of the feelings.

The Bible definition of shame concerns a consciousness of guilt which is designed to bring about correction of that which brought that guilt to the mind.

But modern psychology promotes otherwise.

I found these lessons about shame on a web site called

SHAME AND GUILT

Shame is not the same as guilt.

When we feel guilt, it's about something we did.
When we feel shame, it's about who we are.

When we feel guilty we need to learn
that it's OK to make mistakes.
When we feel shame we need to learn
that it's OK to be who we are!

Now this is a message of status quo, not correction.

This is a message for fitting into Satan’s realm!

God is not satisfied with who you are and he therefore brings to your mind a consciousness of guilt.

The whole message of the Bible is that sinners are not acceptable in the sight of God.

Ye must be born again is the message of the Bible.

Ye must be washed in the blood is the message of the Bible.

It is not OK to be who we are if we are an unredeemed sinner.

Here is another bit of worldly wisdom from this site:

WHERE SHAME COMES FROM

Shame comes from being taught
that we are worthless or bad or something similar.

It comes in childhood from adults who say things like:
"You'll never amount to anything!"
"You are worthless!"
"I wish you were never born!"
"Shame on you!"

It also comes from severe physical discipline
since each hit of the hand or fist or belt says to the child:
"You don't matter at all!
Only what you do matters!"

And shame comes from being humiliated for our behavior.
It comes from adults who say:
"What would the neighbors think of you if they knew...?"
"You look ridiculous!"
"Don't you have any pride?"
"What's wrong with you anyway!?"

And it comes from being threatened
with shaming, or physical discipline, or humiliation.
When we are threatened with these things,
the psychological message is the same:
"I can and will treat you any way I want to...
You are a worthless weakling at my disposal!"

Now most of what is said here should not be said.

But what is the message here that is being taught about shame?

Bringing someone to a feeling of shame is the worst possible thing you could do.

When God says all my righteousness is as filthy rags this makes me feel terrible.

I may say: God, this is a horrible thing to say about me!

Doesn’t God know that my feelings will be hurt in the most terrible way?

Modern therapy would have you get away from this as fast as possible for it may result in shame.

But why did God say this?

He said it because the truth will set me free.

Satan proclaims lies which will eternally bind.

The concentration on feelings versus correction is where we are today in child rearing.

You can be so concerned about a child’s feelings you refuse to upset him or her and thereby neglect the necessary correction that chastisement brings.

And this is so true in adult to adult relationships also.

Even altar calls or teaching that a child is a sinner would be anathema in today’s culture for it may provoke shame.

I wouldn’t be surprised that in some future period the teaching that children are sinners would be thought of as hate speech.

What will this do for there self esteem to teach them that all their righteousness is as filthy rags?

But what does God teach in his word, Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest.

So how are we to know that we are heavy laden unless we believe the Bible.

How am I to know that I am a sinner in this world which goes against the world’s teaching that its OK to be who we are?

But we are to teach truth.

We are to teach that shame is there to lead us to wisdom, to lead us to lowliness that we may be lifted up.

When Christ said that whosoever humbleth himself shall be exalted this applies to all who expect to live with him in Heaven.

Every man, woman, boy or girl must go though shame on their way to Christ.

Every man, woman, boy or girl must have a consciousness of guilt, an acceptance that they are undone, a sinner who can only be made new by the direct act of God through Christ our Lord.