Since the 1970’s, June has been known as “Pride Month” in the United States. Rainbow flags and other gay-pride paraphernalia are ubiquitous. Our culture now fully embraces the LGBTQIA2S lifestyle. The message: Be proud of your sexuality!
Social media encourages people to flaunt their wealth. You’re supposed to post pictures of the cool new toys you buy. Post pics of food from that fancy restaurant. Brag about your exotic vacations. The message: Be proud of your possessions!
Society encourages us to boast about our achievements. Go ahead and broadcast that you went to an Ivy League school. Make sure people know how successful you are. Brag about your intellect and business acumen. The message: Be proud of your accomplishments!
Notice the common thread. Pride is all about “me, me, me!” It is a form of self-worship, for it prizes the self above all else.
Not something to celebrate.
Pride is no virtue. In fact, it is chief among the cardinal sins.
In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis said this about pride:
“Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.“
Here’s a sample of what the Bible says about pride:
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.
Proverbs 16:18
All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.
Proverbs 8:13
In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
Psalm 10:4
And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:6
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.
For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.
For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
James 3: 13-16
Opposite of pride.
Jesus taught humility.
Read Mathew 23:1-12 where Jesus condemns the pride of the Pharisees, and warns His followers not to be like them.
Read Luke 22: 24-27 where Jesus teaches His disciples that if they want to be truly great, they must humble themselves and serve others.
And Jesus didn’t just teach humility, He lived it. He demonstrated it when He healed the sick, when He ministered to the meek and lowly, when He washed the feet of His disciples.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:45
Finally, Jesus exemplified humility in the most profound way possible: He took on feeble, human flesh, and willingly went to the cross to die for sinful mankind.
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Philippians 2:5-8
Food for thought.
A proud man is a miserable man. He looks down on those he deems inferior, and he burns with envy at the mere thought of anyone being superior. He lives in constant fear of being knocked off the pedestal on which he has placed himself.
Our modern world is at odds with The Almighty on the issue of pride. You have a daily choice to make: Will you go with the flow, and celebrate what God detests? Or will you dare to follow the example of Jesus?
