Pride

I never realized how pride comes in so many ways and how much God hates it. I wrote about one of my pride issues last week. And the truth is even our prayers can be motivated by pride or even be done in a prideful manner. Jesus gave a parable about an arrogant Pharisee and a humble tax collector. He was critical of the pompous prayer of the Pharisee.

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14

Let me just stop to point out here that I don’t think that a person who brags about their humility and goes around telling everyone how humble they are is actually walking in humility. I have heard many people speak about themselves as being humble and they seemed to have vain humility, which is quite an oxymoron. We must be careful that we are not walking around in false humility also.

Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind. Colossians 2:18

Pride can be deceptive and cloak itself as humility, so it is important to always come before God asking Him to check our hearts. We want to be very careful about pride creeping into our hearts and actions. In recent Bible studies I have heard pride been described as “insidious”, “subtle” and “in espionage.” It can be so sinister and creeps up on you if your guard is down. The devil loves any ploy to get us into pride because he knows the Lord hates it and will punish whoever prideful.

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate. Proverbs 8:13

Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished. Proverbs 6:15

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11

If we don’t want to be humbled by God, then we should always scrutinize our own actions and be ready to get them aligned with the Bible when they are out of line. For instance, have you ever met a person who was always right? Sadly, I was one of those. I look back at some of the conversations I have had, and I am so embarrassed. I can’t believe some of the ridiculous things I said believing I was right when I had little or no knowledge of the circumstances. And the eyes can also speak volumes. Looking down on someone with an air of being more important than he or she is, does not please the Lord.

A haughty look, a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin. Proverbs 21:4

We must be careful not to be puffed up about our titles, wealth, intelligence, appearances, our country of citizenship or even our humility. Everything that God has given us is to be used for His glory. If we boast, it should be only in the Lord. (See 2 Corinthians 10:17). We should never attract people to ourselves with our talents, but they should attract people to the Giver of the talents. Let us be very careful, or else pride could lead to our downfall.