“Love is patient and love is kind. It does not envy. It does not boast, it is not proud.” 1 Corinthians 13:4
The topic of pride is not talked much about these days, certainly not in the way I am thinking. Pride has its use, but it is limited. When I bake cookies, for example, and I know they are really good, I am proud of those cookies. At what point, though, do I cross the line where pride becomes a stumbling block? Pride is indeed a perilous thing; something all people stumble over from time to time. In my journal, as I sat with the Lord, and asked about the problems that pride brings, here is what was pointed out to me:
1. Pride can lead us to believe that we are better or more important than we are. Romans 12:3 warns us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought.
2. Pride can act like a blinding agent that hinders us from seeing others or circumstances as they truly are. In Matthew 7:5 we are told to “remove the plank from your own eye; then you will see clearly to remove the speck in your brother’s eye.” We can find ourselves with a plank in our eye for several reasons, pride being one of them.
3. Pride can keep us from admitting our faults. It is interesting to consider the emotions or attitudes that hang out with pride, like stubbornness. To maintain pride, in the negative sense, you can be sure that stubbornness is nearby.
4. Pride can keep us from trying new things. People may think “No - that is fear”. Perhaps that is true, but pride can get tangled up in it as we do not want to fail and ruin our good record.
5. Pride can keep us from asking for help when it is clearly needed.
6. Pride can also keep us from asking for forgiveness simply because we can’t admit that just maybe we were wrong.
7. On the flip side of this, pride can also hinder us from offering forgiveness to those who ask. How is this possible? Sometimes we can wear the hurts or offences we experience like a pin or a broach and we do not want to let it go.
8. Pride can keep us from celebrating the success of another likely because envy is running very close by.
9. Pride can keep us talking and talking and not bothering to ask the listener what they think as we are so very sure what we are saying is better. To listen truly requires the absence of pride and the presence of humility.
10. Pride isolates us. This is never a good way to live.
I know that there is more that can be added to this. Personally, I feel challenged to stop and consider where I am stumbling at this moment.
Dear Father,
Pride is a sneaky thing. Show me where pride is tripping me up today. I want to live humbly.
In Jesus Name,
Amen