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Part 7: Pride - Humility

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Summary

Pride is a sin that is often difficult to detect in our lives. Pride always keeps the focus on “self” and rejects our need for God. The closer we move towards intimacy with God the more we will understand what it means to “deny ourselves” and live in the fullness of the freedom we have in Christ. Through Christ, we understand what true humility is, and it is in that humility we become better leaders, family members, co-workers, and neighbors.

Content

There are a number of different kinds of pride. For example, you can be proud of your spouse, which is really an expression of delight rather than a sin problem. Delight is others-centered, but sinful pride is self-centered. That evil kind of pride can lead to sin and hinder our walk with Christ. 

The sinful pride which the Bible warns us against is placing ourselves above others and rejecting our need for God. Pride is the root of all sins! At the heart of lust, sloth, greed, and others of the “Seven Deadly Sins” is the attitude that our plan for our lives is better than God’s. That’s the big problem with pride — it contends for supremacy with our God. 

Pride is deeply destructive and difficult to detect. Wherever there is unruly conflict, you can find pride in the hearts of at least one of the people involved. And while we can usually recognize through some reflection that we have exhibited sins of other kinds, pride actually blinds us to the fact that we’re proud! 

One of the reasons pride is so difficult to recognize in ourselves is that it takes different forms. On the one hand, there is building-up pride: self-elevating, self-promotion, and self-justification. This kind of pride puffs us up and makes us feel like we’re better than those around us. It causes us to desire more, and to despise others, and to forget that without our God, we can do nothing. 

Another form is tearing-down pride: self-degradation, self-demotion, and self-condemnation. It’s often said: humility is not thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less. Whether we’re making ourselves out to be the best or the worst, it’s all pride if we’re focusing too much on ourselves rather than on God and others. 

Ways of Pridefulness

There’s a number of ways we may notice pride appearing in our lives. One kind of pride says, “I’m better than you.” It obsesses in making comparisons and tears down relationships with others. In the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18, the Pharisee prayed to God thanking Him that he was not like a tax collector who had been with him in the temple. He added, “I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.” Yet, the sinful tax collector prayed to God begging for mercy and confessing he had sinned. Jesus said that only the tax collector went home justified in the eyes of God, and spoke: “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

There’s also the “I can manage it” pride, which insists we don’t need help from others in our community or our God to handle things. Often, this pride manifests itself in a lack of prayer. If we don’t turn to God in prayer seeking direction in things both big and small, we show that we believe we can go about life without His help. Even as early as Genesis, we know the serpent caused Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil. In doing so, the first humans asserted that they could manage being like God, even against His orders; we’ve been doing so ever since. 

Lastly, beware the pride that says, “It doesn’t apply to me.” Be careful about believing you have nothing to learn when someone is speaking. Be wise, and flee media and other influences which could create temptation in you, even if you believe you are unlikely to stumble. In Matthew 26:35, Peter insisted he would never deny Jesus. But, in fact, he did three times. None of us are so devoted that we can take for granted our future obedience to Christ. We cannot become prideful in this area because Satan is tricky, and temptation cannot be escaped on our own merit without Christ Jesus. 

From Pride to Humility

Pride is difficult to self-detect, but humility will be noticed by others and give glory to God. This is what sanctification is all about: becoming set apart, so that all can see the transformative impact Jesus has on our lives. 

There are a number of steps you can take to begin to replace the pride in your life. Place high value in putting others first, and seek out ways to do so. Confess your sins, as James 5:16 prescribes. Bring yourself to asking for forgiveness, because genuine apology will empty you of pride. When others compliment you, give the glory for the work you do over to God. Consider creating a habit of praying every morning, acknowledging to God that “Without you, Lord, I can do nothing.” Surrender your will to God, and He will do more good with you than you ever could do alone.

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