“Pride goeth before a fall.” has been sound advice since Proverbs. Pride can be compared to an over-inflated balloon.
An over-inflated balloon runs into two problems. As it is inflated, it comes in contact with more potential puncture-points. Rapid deflation follows.
Inflation also causes the material to get thinner. The expansion causes weaknesses and irregularities in the thickness of the film to allow deflation.
On the other hand, each balloon has an optimum size. If it stays smaller than it can be, it is, in human terms, cowardly.
“Lack of pride” also “goeth before a fall.” If we do not expand to our capacity, we are like the man who buried his talents, rather than investing them for maximum return.
We each need enough pride to be of service, but not so much that we become unserviceable.
