I had to take a deep breath before I started writing this; I
was worried it might turn into a psychotic rant.
There are so many verses in the Bible about pride, will list
a few right here.
Jeremiah 9:23 this is what the Lord says. ‘Let not the wise
boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast
of their riches.
Proverbs 11:2 When Pride comes then comes disgrace. But with
humility comes wisdom
Proverbs 13:10 Where there is strife, there is pride, but
wisdom is found in those who take advice
Proverbs 16:5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure
of this, they will not go unpunished
Proverbs 16:9 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the
oppressed than to share plunder with the proud
Psalm 10:4 in his pride, the wicked man does not seek him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God
Romans 12:16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be
proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be
conceited.
It is such an important topic, that God felt the need to
address it several times just in case we missed the point the first time He
said it. Pride will have you seeking admiration from people. Pride will have
you refusing to be corrected by those you deem less than you. Pride will have
you surrounding yourself with only those who stroke your ego. Pride will be the
start of your downfall.
Everyone is born with a measure of pride. Even a 2 year old
can be too proud to say ‘sorry’ to a friend. It’s just that as we grow older,
as we become more educated; start making more money, start creating a name for
ourselves in our cities or communities; that measure of pride, gets bigger. It
gets bigger to the point that we will refuse to be seen taking public transport
if our car decides to break down somewhere. We will refuse to be seen talking
to people we think are ‘beneath us’. We will refuse to take advice or
constructive criticism from anyone we believe is not ‘worthy’ or ‘big enough’
to offer advice or criticism.
Human beings, by nature, are generally vain. We like
anything that makes us feel good, we like anyone who tells us all the amazing
things about us. So much that if we meet someone who doesn’t think that highly
of us, we are quick to get offended and dismiss them as ‘haters’. Thing is
though, we all need to have people around us, who will remind us that even with
our achievements and wealth or fame, we are still imperfect human beings, being
molded by a perfect God. I always say to people, that if you don’t humble
yourself, God will humble you and it will be painful.
When God decides to humble you, He will remove everything
about you that people use to measure you as successful. If it is your money
that causes people to praise you and feed your ego, He will take that. If it is
your ‘popularity’ that makes you proud, He will make you a laughing stock to
show you that popularity means absolutely nothing. If it is your beauty that
makes you proud, He will find a way to show you that there are others He
created who are far more beautiful than you.
I remember a friend
of mine who applied for a job that involved a lot of face to face contact with
clients and she said ‘If I get this job, it will mostly be because of my
looks’. She found herself very pretty and her sense of security was in that
beauty. She was called for an interview and she got to the interview venue to
find a long line of girls just as pretty and others far prettier than she is.
She did not get the job and I’m pretty sure she was humbled.
Search your heart, and ask God to show you if there is anything
in your life that causes you to be proud. A lot of people are not aware of
this, but the last 2-3 years have been very tough for me. In that time, I have
been broken, pruned and molded by God. There are things I am not embarrassed to
do now, that would have made me cringe 5 years ago.
Sometimes, I will chat with a friend, and he/she will say
something about being in a situation
where they hoped they wouldn’t see or meet anyone they know because they will
be laughed at or mocked, and I’m sat there thinking ‘so what if they laugh?’
If you think you’re too good, your name is too important,
your image is too precious to do some things that people with less income do on
a daily basis, you might need to evaluate your pride levels.
I’m not saying I have been pruned to perfection. Not even
close. God is still working in me, but I can tell you for sure, that pride is
something I am glad God has somehow reduced in me.
