If you stop for a moment and think about it, we all have those around us
who are proud. But it can be a positive thing if it is embedded in the right
perspective. A wholesome view of this kind of pride has been correctly defined
as “A sense of one’s own proper dignity or value; self-respect”.[1] However, there are other kinds of pride; gay
pride, white pride, black pride, generational pride, and nationalistic pride,
etc. Both you and I have seen the effects of the above. This can be the
destructive side of pride, often being self-promoting and putting others down.
Basically, the destructive kind of pride is an identity problem. Namely,
a person has their identity grounded in a self-centred and misguided opinion of
who they are as a person. A self-centred and misguided understanding of what a
prideful identity is could be as follows. Pride in the negative sense of the
word is an arrogant estimation of one’s self-worth or significance. An example
of this kind of pride was recorded in Luke 9:46-56.
The greatest example of this kind of pride is found in Satan (Ez
28:12-18). Interestingly Paul said to Timothy that in the choosing someone to
be a leader within the local church, they should not be a recent convert, as
they may become filled with pride and fall under the same judgment as the devil
(1 Timothy 3:6).
Both Testaments of the Bible reveal in some
fairly strong language how God views pride:
“The
LORD detests the proud; they will surely be punished” (Proverbs 16:5
NLT).
“But He gives us even more grace to stand
against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, ‘God opposes (or resists)
the proud, but favours the humble’” (James 4:6 NLT).
Notice that James points out that there is a better way to live as a
Christ-follower and have an identity grounded in biblical truth. You have been
called to humility. The only place to find the right antidote (which is
humility) for destructive pride comes from having our identity in the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is the greatest example of humility that has ever lived and reveals
to us how to live our lives, (see Matthew 18:4; 23:12; Mark 10:43-45; Luke
18:10-14).
If you let the attitude of destructive pride
reign, remember,
“Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness
before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 NLT).
Yet, this does not have to be the case, because Jesus Christ gives us
even more grace to stand against such evil desires.
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