Ever since I became a parent, I seem to have become more and more connected with balloons. I don't remember having much to do with balloons as a younger man. But now, with two boys who love balloons and appreciate them on any occasion, it seems like I'm constantly huffing balloons full of air and attempting to tie them with my sausage-like fingers.

One thing I learned early on is that balloons can only take a certain amount of air.


You've probably experienced that particular boundary yourself.

When you first get a balloon, you start by stretching it out to make sure everything gets loose and pliable. Then you take a deep breath and start whooshing all your air into the balloon one gasp at a time. The more air you push out, the larger the balloon becomes -- and the tighter its rubber skin pulls and stretches.

The moment quickly arrives when the balloon looks perfect. It's nicely rounded, yet also firm. That means it's full. It's ready to be tied. If you ignore that moment and keep blowing, however, you can force the balloon to take more air than it was intended to take. Keep blowing, and the balloon keeps swelling. Keep blowing still, and the balloon starts to get lumpy in places -- the colorful rubber skin begins to pucker and blotch.

Pretty soon -- boom!

Keep the image in your mind of an over-inflated balloon as you examine this Bible promise from the Book of Proverbs:

Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the Lord;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:5

It's so easy in today's culture to become over-inflated with our own sense of self worth. We're told in countless commercials and marketing campaigns that we should behave as if the universe revolves around us -- that we deserve everything from inner peace to washboard abs to the best darn chocolate money can buy.

There's a danger in this line of thinking, however, and the Bible helps us see it. Specifically, God is not a fan of such an overabundance of pride. In fact, Proverbs 16:5 tells us that proud hearts are detestable to the Lord. That's strong language!

This doesn't mean we should never feel proud of ourselves or take pride in a job well done. Pride in and of itself isn't an evil emotion, just as money by itself isn't an evil resource. Instead, this verse is talking about people with proud hearts -- people who allow personal pride to become the foundation of their identities. According to the Scriptures, that's a bad idea.

As beings made in the image of God, we were lovingly crafted to worship God alone. We were never meant to worship ourselves. When we push beyond those boundaries -- when we huff and puff ourselves up and swell beyond the limits of reality -- we will experience the consequences.

The Bible makes a clear promise in Proverbs 16:5: those who fill themselves up with personal pride will not go unpunished. They will be brought low. They will be made to see themselves in a more realistic light. And when this happens, we must remember that God is the source of their punishment. It's not karma, it's not the universe, and it's not society or any kind of cultural standards.

God has promised to punish the proud, and He will do so.