5h • Wisdom
Pride and Trust
“He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.”
Proverbs 28:25
This proverb contrasts pride with trust in God and shows the very different fruit each produces. The proud heart produces strife because it is constantly concerned with itself—its reputation, desires, rights, opinions, and advancement. The trusting heart, however, can rest because it believes that God is able to provide, defend, guide, and exalt according to His will. One grasps and fights for itself; the other entrusts itself to the Lord. Solomon teaches that the second path ultimately leads to true abundance.
The phrase “proud heart” reaches deeper than outward arrogance. Pride is fundamentally an exaggerated concern with self. A proud person does not necessarily boast openly. Pride can appear as an inability to receive correction, an excessive need to be recognized, resentment when someone else succeeds, defensiveness when questioned, or anger when circumstances do not go according to one's desires. Proverbs 13:10 says plainly, “Only by pride cometh contention.” Behind many conflicts lies a heart insisting that its own way, reputation, or interests must prevail.
James explains this connection between selfish desire and conflict: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” (James 4:1). Strife often appears to begin with another person's words or actions, but Scripture directs our attention inward. Why did those words affect us so deeply? Why must we win the argument? Why are we unable to overlook the offense? Frequently, pride has something at stake.
This does not mean every disagreement is sinful. Scripture commands believers to stand for truth, correct error, and contend for the faith. Jesus Himself confronted wickedness. The difference lies in the motive and manner. A person can contend for truth because he loves God, or he can use truth as a weapon because he loves being right. Paul tells us, “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient.” (2 Timothy 2:24). Truth never requires a proud spirit.
Pride also creates strife because it naturally competes with others. Saul illustrates this vividly. When the women of Israel sang, “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands,” Saul became angry and jealous (1 Samuel 18:7-9). David's success did not actually diminish Saul, but Saul's pride interpreted another man's honor as a threat to his own. From that point onward, jealousy produced years of conflict and eventually contributed to Saul's destruction.
John the Baptist displayed the opposite spirit. When people told him that Jesus was attracting more followers, John answered, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30). That statement could only come from a humble heart. John did not need to compete with Christ because he understood his own God-given role. Much strife disappears when we stop treating another person's success as our loss.
The second half of Proverbs 28:25 gives the cure for the proud heart: “but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.” In biblical language, being “made fat” communicates abundance, satisfaction, and flourishing. Solomon is not promising that everyone who trusts God will become financially wealthy. Rather, he describes the well-provided condition of the person who depends upon the Lord. His security does not rest upon forcing circumstances in his own favor because he believes God is able to care for him.
This reveals the deeper connection between pride and unbelief. Pride says, “I must secure my own position. I must make this happen. I must defend myself. I must make sure I receive what I deserve.” Faith says, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1). Trust releases us from the exhausting burden of trying to control every outcome.
Abraham and Lot illustrate this beautifully. When their herdsmen began striving because the land could not support both households together, Abraham gave Lot the first choice of land. Lot chose the well-watered plain of Jordan, which appeared materially superior (Genesis 13:8-11). Abraham could afford to be generous because his confidence was not ultimately in which piece of land he obtained. God had promised to bless him. Faith did not need to fight for the best-looking opportunity.
Psalm 37 expresses the same principle: “Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.” (Psalm 37:3). A few verses later David says, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:5). Trust does not mean inactivity. Abraham still worked, travelled, managed his household, and made decisions. Trust means doing our responsibility faithfully while leaving the outcome with God.
This is particularly important when we feel overlooked or treated unfairly. Pride immediately wants to defend itself and make sure others recognize the wrong. Sometimes confrontation is necessary, but sometimes wisdom means entrusting the matter to God. Peter says of Christ, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously.” (1 Peter 2:23). Jesus could remain quiet before false accusations because He trusted His Father to judge perfectly.
Practically, this proverb gives us a useful question whenever strife arises: “What am I afraid of losing?” Perhaps it is respect, control, money, recognition, comfort, or simply the satisfaction of being right. The answer may reveal where pride has gained influence. Then we can ask a second question: “Can I trust God with this?” Humility becomes much easier when we genuinely believe that God can take care of what we surrender to Him.
Trust in God also produces generosity. The person who believes everything depends upon himself tends to hold tightly to possessions, opportunities, and status. The person who believes God is his provider can hold them more loosely. Paul wrote, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). Confidence in God's provision frees us from the constant fear that someone else's gain must become our loss.
There is also a spiritual abundance promised here. Jeremiah describes the person who trusts the Lord as “a tree planted by the waters... neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8). The circumstances around the tree may become dry, but its roots reach a dependable source. Likewise, the believer's deepest satisfaction is not determined by favorable circumstances but by fellowship with an unchanging God.
Ultimately, Jesus Christ perfectly demonstrates the humility and trust described in this proverb. Philippians 2 says that although He was “in the form of God,” He “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant.” (Philippians 2:6-7). He did not grasp after earthly status or demand recognition from men. He humbled Himself and became “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8). Then the Father highly exalted Him.
Proverbs 28:25 therefore presents us with two ways of living. Pride continually asks, “How can I protect, promote, and satisfy myself?” and inevitably produces conflict. Faith asks, “How can I obey God and trust Him with the result?” and discovers a deeper kind of abundance. The more securely we rest in the Lord's provision, approval, and sovereignty, the less we need to compete with others or force circumstances in our favor. Humility and peace grow naturally when the heart can sincerely say, “In God I have put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.” (Psalm 56:11).
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Pride and Trust
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