PRIDE THAT BRINGS A FALL by Robert Soto

April 12, 2010

PRIDE THAT BRINGS A FALL by Robert Soto

Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

One of my favorite jobs I have ever had was working with animals at the Seminole Indian Reservation. I had the opportunity to handle mountain lions, bobcats and rattlesnakes, along with various other poisonous and non-poisonous snakes, bears, alligator snapper turtles and my all-time favorite, alligators. I'm not sure why, but I loved handling alligators. I guess that is why I became a professional alligator wrestler for about three years. Even though I was paid good for the times, I did not do it for the money but for the thrill. It seemed like when I jumped into a pit full of alligators (usually about ten to fifteen) I felt like superman. I felt like I was in control. I felt like I could conquer the world.

But I remember when I lost for the first time. There were no referees, so how would one determine whether one won or lost the match? For us as alligator wrestlers, we won when we came out of the pit unharmed and we lost when we came out hurt. I remember the first time I lost. I had the alligator by the mouth with both hands as I sat on his back holding his neck back. It was at that time the I let my confidence get the best of me and I relaxed just a little, just as the alligator decided to open his month and both of my thumbs slipped into his mouth. Before I could take them out, his quick reacting mouth snapped and caught my right thumb. I managed to yanked it out of his mouth but he left my right thumb with four large puncture wombs. I share this story with you because it reminds me that sometimes we allow our confidence to get the best of us and as the old saying goes, pride goes before the fall. I will never forget the words that Solomon wrote: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." For one brief moment, I forgot that I was not in control and God had to remind me that I was not in control.

Robert Soto, Lipan Apache and pastor of:

McAllen Grace Brethren Church
The Native American New Life Center
Chief of Chiefs Christian Church