I was fourteen or fifteen years old and it was my first time entered in a sled dog race. Sled dog races have different classes, based on the size of the team and the distance you traveled. I was in the novice, one dog class. The one dog class was a single dog with a sled and a course two or three miles in length (my memory says five miles but I think I might have built it up over the years).

For a sled, I used an old toboggan that my father had ingeniously rigged up with a set of handles at the back, and a netting of rope to hold any cargo in place. When you were done with the sled for the day, the whole rig folded down to the height of the toboggan.

The race started and I was well in the lead. No one was even close; in fact I didn't even see another dog for the whole trip after leaving the starting chute. We came out of the wooded area onto the river flats, and you could see the finish line maybe 3/4 of a mile up the river. People lined the banks and the finish area eagerly watching for the winner.

I snuck a peek behind me. There was no one in sight. I had the race hands down. Then it happened. The toboggan bounced at a strange angle and the whole rig collapsed on itself. No problem. All I had to do was lay on the toboggan the last few hundred yards and first place was mine.

My teenaged male brain kicked in ... no way in the world would I finish the race not standing. I grabbed a rope and stood on the back of the sled and surfed my way towards the finish line. I looked great and all was going well, until the first bump. I fell off, flat on my face in the snow and lost hold of my rope.

My dog continued running for the finish line, and before I could get to the finish line every other contestant had passed me. What should have been an easy victory turned into a humiliating last place finish because of simple pride.

I was certain I would die of embarrassment. I didn't, although my ego was bruised for a long time. I knew many of the other contestants well, it was a number of years before I lived down my foolishness.

Pride gets us in trouble every time. Pride is simple rebellion against God and the root of all sin. It was pride that caused Satan and his followers to rebel. They wanted to be like God.

How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High." But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.
Isaiah 14:12-15 NIV

It's pride that leads us to create our own false "gods" that we can control. It's pride that keeps us from humbling ourselves before God and admitting our need of Him.

How's your pride level?

Until next time, may you be able to genuinely be able to boast in the creator not the created.

Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

Be blessed

Kevin