Pride

Good day to each of you reading this column on a very familiar subject that we all exhibit some or many times in our lives, which is pride.

Let’s look at the meanings of pride according to PRIDE Definition & Meaning – Merriam-Webster:

1 the quality or state of being proud: such as
a: reasonable self-esteem: confidence and satisfaction in oneself
b: pleasure that comes from some relationship, association, achievement, or possession that is seen as a source of honor, respect, etc.
c: exaggerated self-esteem

2a: sometimes Pride : respect and appreciation for oneself and others as members of a group and especially a marginalized group : solidarity with a group based on a shared identity, history, and experience
b: usually Pride:an event or series of events celebrating and affirming the rights, equality, and culture of LGBTQ people
c: a showy or pretentious group

As I read, pride leads to one’s destruction as pride separates each of us from God as God will not tolerate this act of self.

Here is an example in Isaiah 23:9 (NIV) The Lord Almighty planned it, to bring down her pride in all her splendor and to humble all who are renowned on the earth.

Another example is found in Job 40:11,12 (NIV) Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at all who are proud and bring them low, look at all who are proud and humble them, crush the wicked where they stand.

Here, in the USA, we have men and women in our political offices who exude pride in their walk, their talk and their mannerisms.

God says that in Proverbs 6:16-19 of six things that the Lord hates, seven that detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes. feet that are quick to rush into evil, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

As we analyze those in office or for that matter each of us, let us do a comparison of humility to pride as shown in the Bible:

Here you have a Biblical comparison between humility and pride as show in the NLT Bible and the wisdom of Solomon. Again, God created no one a robot and has given each of us choices in our daily living.

As shown previously in Isaiah 23:9, Job 40:11 and Isaiah 5:13, God has zero tolerance for pride in one, many or in whole nations and God will humble all who are renowned on the earth who enjoy priding themselves instead of humbling themselves.

As I said in a previous lesson titled the days of Noah, here is a quote from President Trump when he was campaigning for president in 2015, Mr. Trump was asked if he had ever asked for forgiveness. “I am not sure I have,” he replied. “I just go on and try to do a better job from there… I think if I do something wrong, I think, I just try and make it right. I don’t bring God into that picture. I don’t.”

In a follow up interview with CNN, Trump added, “I have a great relationship with God. … I like to be good. I don’t like to have to ask for forgiveness. And I am good. I don’t do a lot of things that are bad. I try and do nothing that’s bad” (Jan 17, 2016).

President Trump has said “I will make America great again.” I will America great—not God—like I made myself great.  

Fellow Christian, I bring these things up to let you know that our elected officials have the audacity to be boastful and prideful before God and before each of us. Here is a man taking credit for the things that God has done for each of us and I for one am praying that President Trump humbles himself before God, otherwise he must pay the consequences directly from God.

We have men in office who allow pride to get in their way and for egos to overtake rational thinking when expressing themselves and voting on issues that affect each of us. 

The fact is, we have political officials who become defensive when confronted and will not accept correction under any circumstance, even if they are in the wrong or they have been pointed out by someone else.

Look at 2 Corinthians 7:11 NIV–See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

Pride is sin and it is difficult to be confronted with our sin, but we can if we confess our sin and come clean and to humble ourselves before God.

One must examine himself for only one can answer if they have been stricken with spiritual pride, the pride that blinds us to our own faults while magnifying the faults of others. Better known as the blame game, spiritual pride’s anecdote is to humbly thank God for all that he has done for you.

Does others success hurt your pride or are you humble to acknowledge and accept their successes? Humanly, we have all run into this situation and we are to take the high road and acknowledge those successes. Again, even the disciples were jealous for here is what Luke 9:49,50 says: “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” ⁵⁰ “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Nine of the disciples could not drive out a single evil spirit as in Luke 9:40, but along came a person who did drive them out and he was not one of the disciples. Ouch! Their pride was hurt, but Jesus said not to stop him and the lesson was to the disciples and to us that there is no room for this jealousy.

As I close, Paul said it best in Romans 15:17 NIV—Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.

The NIV explanation provides this question to each of us—Are you just as proud of what God is doing through other people as of what he is doing through you?

Until next time, may you always bless God first in all that you say and all that you do.