This may sound silly, but many years ago when I was a teen, a friend and I both discussed how we struggled with spiritual pride. By this I mean we felt superior to those around us, believing that a lot of the religiosity we were producing was of our own doing. We committed to pray for one another and decided to hold each other accountable. Therefore, we half-heartedly joked around and each time we saw each other we would say, “you really aren’t that great.” Not necessarily the most biblical way to handle it, but it makes me chuckle when I recall that memory.
I love the definition that Stuart Scott provides for pride in his booklet, “From Pride to Humility.” He says pride is self-focus and self-worship. He states that “prideful people believe that they are or should be the source of what is good, right, and worthy of praise.” They believe all of their accomplishments are of their own doing. Prideful people want to be on top. Bluntly put, “pride seeks to ungod God.”
God takes pride very seriously. It is listed first as one of the things that God hates (Proverbs 6:16). Satan, who was originally an angel, was cast out of heaven due to pride. He was seeking to take God’s place (Isaiah 14:12-14). Multiple times in Scripture, we are warned of the dangers of pride. It leads to destruction. It is the downfall of many godly people, who overtime become reliant on self rather than God. Perhaps after you have studied the Word for years, you think you have obtained a sufficient amount of wisdom and no longer open the Word begging for it. How foolish. “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 26:12). That’s a pretty stern warning.
So how are we to battle this pride? Put on humility! Think of yourself less. That’s right. It’s honestly not about you. Remember that you came from the ground and to the ground you will return. Perhaps you think that compared to your pagan neighbor, you are quite righteous. Remember that if it weren’t for the grace of God, you would be in the same situation for it is the Spirit who draws people unto salvation (John 6:44). Perhaps, as a seasoned Christian you are impressed with how wise you have become. Remember that any wisdom you have has been given to you by God (1 Corinthians 2:11-12) because without the Spirit opening your eyes, you would still be blind.
“For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” 1 Corinthians 4:7
Indeed everything we have comes from God. Boasting in your riches? That came from God. Boasting in your intellect that allowed you to get that high paying job? That came from God. Boasting in your physical accomplishments? That came from God. Boasting in that amazing musical talent? That came from God. God gives Christians gifts and talents in order to glorify Himself and build up the body of Christ, but too often we use them to build up ourselves.
Maybe you think you would never fall into the sin that your Christian brother just fell into. You only sin in minor ways. Paul warns you “let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). I can think of a handful of times in my life when I had a judgmental attitude toward a particular brother or sister who fell into sin. My first thought was, “wow, I would never do that.” Guess what? I did. Sometimes it was the same sin in my heart manifested in a different way outwardly. Sometimes I literally fell into the exact same sin. Pride comes before the fall.
As painful as it is, I become thankful for the times I fall flat on my face because I’m reminded that I am absolutely nothing but clay in the hands of a perfect Potter. Getting on my knees and begging once again for mercy reminds me that this life is not about me or impressing people with apparent godliness. It is about pointing to the miraculous fact that for some reason God forgave my absolutely repulsive and despicable sins and wiped me clean. On my own, I really am nothing. And quite honestly, God is God and He gives and takes away. At any moment, He could remove whatever it is that I’m clinging to for self-exaltation. I truly have no reason to boast, other than in the Lord.
Next time you begin to look down on your neighbor, remember who you were without Christ. Rather than tearing down your neighbor, look for ways to serve her and build her up. Learn from Christ, who even though He deserved to be worshipped, gave His life in service and self-sacrifice. And when you boast about anything, don’t boast about yourself…
He who glories, let him glory in the Lord. 1 Cor 2:31
