Whenever pride and ambition are indulged, the life is marred [1] for pride, feeling no need, closes the heart against the infinite blessings of Heaven.
For God Resisteth The Proud
Pride. The sin so audacious that even God couldn’t resist throwing some shade its way.
James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 say Pride is the only sin that ticks off God Himself. It’s like God up in Heaven is scrolling through the divine newsfeed, and suddenly, there it is—Pride. Getting an eyebrow raise and a “Seriously?”
It’s not just your middle-of-the-road sin; it’s the big boy of sins. That unrealistic, inflated self-concept makes you feel like Messi on the pitch. Yet, your only opponent is your brother (half your age), who barely knows the rules.
Pride Pop Quiz
So, stay tight because we’re about to sail through the wild world of Pride—a sin so serious that even angels are side-eyeing. An ice-breaker, perhaps! Do you think you’re a pride contestant?
Below is a true-or-false checklist. Keep reading if you catch yourself lacking.
People Have Toned Down The Mention of Pride
Back in the day, the mention of Pride was all fire and brimstone. Today, it has subtly crept into modern Christianity.
Relegated to the dusty shelves of archaic vocabulary, Pride is replaced by its more sanitized cousins. Instead, we’ve got ‘problems,’ ‘troubles,’ and ‘issues.’
It is commonplace to hear sermons that sound more like intellectual TED Talks on positive thinking to meet our intellectual cravings than point-blank condemnations of Pride.
And so, saying out loud today that “pride is a sin” is like speaking a forgotten language. We’ve been taught that Pride isn’t just a sin; it’s a desirable trait, the crown jewel in the tiara of self-esteem.
The Delusion Script of Pride
Deep within its heart’s crevices, Pride incubates a lethal disdain for God, echoing the audacious sentiments Lucifer once voiced in Isaiah 14:12-21 and Ezekiel 28:1-19.
This rebellious spirit stems from an insatiable hunger for autonomy, a principle where the proud heart yearns to seize the throne of command.
It sounds more like, “Move over, Almighty, I’ve got this!” oblivious that God’s presence keeps everything in perfect harmony. What a delusion script Pride follows!
The Mental Illness That Began In Heaven
Pride is not just a character flaw but a profound mental disruption, much like Lucifer’s misguided ambition to rule despite knowing he can’t sustain life.
Imagine waking up tomorrow, boldly declaring yourself the reincarnation of Albert Einstein. Yet, your math and physics grades are being thrown under the bus. Who would you blame if you find yourself pinned down in a Mental Hospital on antipsychotic meds?
Now, picture someone asserting they are God—would the response be any different?
We Can’t Afford To Admit Pride
In the church, we’ve replaced the term “sin” with “sickness,” softening the language and using psychology instead of biblical terms. We often discuss mental health issues, avoiding the word “sin” altogether. (Snippets from the Introduction)
Why the language manipulation, you ask? If it’s an ailment, we get to play the blame game, pass the responsibility parcel, and cross our fingers, hoping this troublesome illness will disappear. But when it’s sin, oh, we know who the culprit is, don’t we?
Admitting to the depth of our Pride? Better reading Microsoft’s 1 hr 4 min [2] terms and conditions!
Pride Sub-traits
This Pride is so immense it reveals many sub-traits, each woven with arrogance and self-importance. Listed below is yours for introspection once again:
- Strongly opinionated.
- Flaunting your rights.
- Longing for attention by being needy, dramatic, desperate, pushy, demanding.
- Jealous or critical of people who succeed.
- Detesting the idea of being submissive.
- You always have to win.
- Demanding your way.
- Wanting control over others.
- Being critical yet resenting criticism.
- Being inordinately anxious about what others may think of you.
- Holding on to certain kinds of low self-esteem.
- Patterns of lying.
- Hard time acknowledging you were wrong, blame shifting, being defensive.
- Have a lot of conflicts with people.
- Cutting in line in a queue.
- Attitude of entitlement.
- Feeling you are a good person, superior to others.
If Not Pride, Then What?
Recognizing Pride as a major stumbling block, we need to work hard to overcome it. But before we do, let’s focus on its opposite: humility.
Christ is the perfect example of humility. It’s not about weakness or passivity but about strength and grace. Humility means having a positive view of yourself based on actual value and compassion, not humiliation.
Humility isn’t about humiliation but celebrating one’s worth through genuine qualities, connections with others, and alignment with higher principles.
Humility vs Pride
Unlike Pride, humility is about seeing oneself accurately and embracing strengths and limitations. It’s about welcoming accurate information and fostering a teachable spirit, rejecting self-importance and the need to appear superior.
Humility goes beyond self-focus. It recognizes our small role in the universe, our weakness compared to an omnipotent God, and our indebtedness to others. This profound principle finds its ultimate embodiment in Christ.
How Then Can We Move Past Pride?
1. Acknowledge the Illusion of Self-Sufficiency
- Recognize that autonomy and self-reliance can subtly undermine your Christian journey.
2. Come Closer To Your Savior, Jesus Christ.
- Pray earnestly for God’s help and the transformative power of the Holy Spirit to reshape your prideful heart and make room for Christ, the ultimate example of humility.
3. Reflect on Pride’s Sub-Traits
- Regularly review the list of pride sub-traits. Use it to reveal your deepest struggles and areas needing growth.
4. Engage in Self-Dialogue
- Examine your internal speech. Shift from proud misconceptions to embracing the true fulfillment found in humility.
5. Apply Christ’s Work Within You
- Start each day determined to align your will with Christ’s purpose, believing in His work within you.
6. Embrace Heart Transformation
- See this process as a testament to your heart’s transformation, guided by humility and Christ’s presence. Let this evolution reflect your growing faith.
He Calls To You Once Again
Friend, are you feeling worn out by the relentless drive for self-sufficiency? Weary from trying to navigate life on your own terms?
Jesus wants to plant the flowers of humility in your heart where Pride once reigned. He promises that these blossoms will bring new beauty into your life.
He is preparing you for His soon return, so you “may be made perfect, equipped for every good work.”
Will you embrace His grace and let His love guide you toward a renewed and fulfilling journey?
INSPIRATION
1. What Your Counselor Never Told You by Dr. William Backus
2. The Lost Art of Thinking by Neil Nedley M.D
3. Character, Strengths, and Virtues by Christopher Peterson & Martin E. P. Seligman
4. King James Bible
