The Subtle Enemy “PRIDE”

There is a thought that often runs through my mind every time I attend an event or watch the T.V and hear the phrase “I am humbled”. It could be in a scenario where someone has been introduced with a very high profile, or when someone is highly appreciated for something. There are many instances we can quote where people respond by saying “I am humbled.” The thought that runs through my mind is whether this phrase is just a way to respond or they are actually humble in Character. I get particularly bothered when some people I know (Christians) use this phrase often but they are very proud and arrogant fellows. This thought made go into a some study about PRIDE especially among Christians. If God expects us to be meek and humble, and even goes as far as opposing the proud but giving grace to the humble, then Pride is definitely an Enemy. We must therefore identify this enemy and know how to deal it.

What is Pride?

Paul Sanders, an associate professor of theology at Baylor university defines pride as “an assertion of the self that is both irreligious and antisocial”. This means that pride goes far beyond thinking more highly of oneself than is just, out of love for oneself, or a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements or the achievements of those with whom one is closely associated. From this definition, we can see that there are two types of pride which is positive pride (satisfaction derived from one’s achievement) and negative pride (self-centered thought of oneself that leads to other sins). Our focus here is on Negative pride which is the mother of many other sins, hence the reason I refer to it is as the “Subtle enemy.”

In order to understand this subtle enemy, it is vital to make a few clarifications.

• Pride should not be confused with self-respect. Unlike pride, self-respect does not imply feelings of superiority.
• Pride should also not be confused with proper self-esteem. Christians are sometimes quick to condemn all self-satisfaction as an expression of sin. There is a proper self-esteem that is the result of evaluating oneself with “sober judgment” (Rom. 12:3).
• Pride should not be confused with self-love. Christians commonly condemn self-love as a form of narcissism. But Jesus himself commanded his followers to love others as themselves (Matt. 22:39).
• Finally, pride should not be confused with feeling proud. Pride is an enduring character trait; “feeling proud” is a transitory emotion. For example, a man whose son joins a prestigious New York law firm might almost “burst with pride,” but his feelings are a proper and natural expression of love. The father identifies with his son and thus shares his elation. Ironically, the failure to feel pride over honors received by oneself or loved ones may actually be an expression of pride. It may reflect a sense of superiority.

 (Excerpt from Paul Sandas. The deadly sin of pride. Baylor University, Feature Article, 40-43 )

Therefore, for the purpose of what God wants us to learn in this season, I will look at pride simply as “failure to accept and perceive the reality of our utter dependence on God.”

What are the Causes of pride?

1. The willful desire to ignore the voice of God. We know what we ought to do and God is always speaking to us but we are rebellious. (Biblical example, King Uzziah in 2 Chronicles 26. He sought the lord at the start of his reign. God granted him victory and his fame spread all over. However, when he was strong, his heart was lifted up and he transgressed against the Lord which led to his downfall.)
2. The “know it all attitude”. Pride comes when we stop depending on God and start relying on our own strength and wisdom. As we become strong and more successful, it is easy for pride to set in.
3. The desire to lift up and exalt ourselves beyond our places as God’s creature. (For example Adam and Eve (the Fall of man) in Genesis 3, the story of Lucifer in Ezekiel 28:13-17, Isaiah 14:12-14, Revelation 12:7–10.)
4. The feeling of being better-off than some other person either by virtue of physical appearance, spiritual gifts or social stature.
5. Pride is often rooted in deep insecurity, fear and unworthiness. Prideful people often feel small, overlooked, insecure and uninvolved. To hide those feelings from the world, a prideful person puts on a false mask of perfection, confidence and engages in attention seeking behavior.

After understanding what pride is and possible causes of pride, it is vital to know how to deal with it. All our articles, posts and videos on this website and our social media handles this month will show you how to deal with this enemy “PRIDE”, which is the mother of a multitude of sins. Please do well to stay connected and drop a comment below so we can hear your opinion on pride.

Remain blessed.