(Notes from our Online Ladies Home Group)
Pride is a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in conduct. Whether craving compliments, fearing our own image, or entertaining an overly critical view of ourselves, pride can be both glaringly obvious and deceptively sneaky.
John Piper says “Pride is universal, we all deal with it.”
We take pride in our wealth (Deuteronomy 8:13-14); in our jewellery (Ezekiel 7:20); in our salary (Ezekiel 28:5); in our health and strength (Psalm 73:4-6); in our beauty (Ezekiel 28:17); in our power (2 Chronicles 26:16); in our successes (Psalm 140:8) and in our victories (2 Chronicles 25:19). We also take pride in our knowledge and our walk with God.
What does the Bible Say about Pride?
Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:5
Glory Only in the Lord
For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Manifestations of Pride
Read the following characteristics of pride and try identify any in your own life.
1. Complaining against or passing judgment on God (Numbers 14:1-4,9,11; Romans 9:20)
But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”
2. A lack of gratitude (2 Chronicles 32:25)
But Hezekiah’s heart was proud and he did not respond to the kindness shown him; therefore the LORD’s wrath was on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.
3. Anger (Proverbs 28:25; Matthew 20:1-16)
The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the LORD will prosper.
4. Seeing yourself as better than others (Luke 7:36-50)
5. Having an inflated view of your importance, gifts and abilities (Acts 12:21-23)
6. Being focused on the lack of your gifts and abilities (1 Cor. 12:14-25)
7. Perfectionism (Matthew 23:24-28)
8. Talking too much / Talking too much about yourself (Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 27:2; Galatians 6:3)
In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.
Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips.
For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.
9. Seeking independence or control (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 5:21)
submitting to one another in the fear of God.
10. Being consumed with what others think (Galatians 1:10)
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
11. Being devastated or angered by criticism (Proverbs 13:1)
A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
12. Being unteachable (Proverbs 19:20; John 9:13-34)
Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise in your latter days.
13. Being sarcastic, hurtful, or degrading (Proverbs 12:18, 24)
There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.
The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to forced labor.
14. A lack of service (Galatians 5:13, Ephesians 2:10)
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them
15. A lack of compassion (Matthew 5:7, 18:23-35)
Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
16. Being defensive or blame-shifting (Genesis 3:12-13; Proverbs 12:1)
Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”
The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.
17. A lack of admitting when you are wrong (Proverbs 10:17)
He who keeps instruction is in the way of life,
But he who refuses correction goes astray
18. A lack of asking forgiveness (Matthew 5:23-24)
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
19. A lack of biblical prayer (Luke 18:10-14)
From Pride to Humility
- Humble yourself – “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10).
- Walk in humbleness
- Pray for God to help rid you of pride and produce humility in you.
- Read the Psalms and the Prophets often to gain a high view of God and a proper view of yourself.
- Study Jesus (His earthly examples; especially in the Gospels).
Faith Kills Pride
God appointed faith as the only way of salvation. And the way of faith excludes pride. It does so in two ways: (1) Faith, by nature, looks away from ourselves to God. That’s what faith is — a looking away from ourselves to God. (2) Faith itself is a gift of God.
Manifestations of Humility
1. Recognizing and trusting God’s character (Psalm 119:66)
2.Seeing yourself as having no right to question or judge an Almighty and Perfect God (Psalm 145:17; Rom. 9:19-23)
Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
TTe Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
3. Focusing on Christ (Phil. 1:21; Heb. 12:1-2)
4. Biblical praying and a great deal of it (1 Thess. 5:17; 1 Tim. 2:1-2)
5. Being overwhelmed with God’s undeserved grace and goodness (Psalm 116:12-19)
6. Thankfulness and gratitude in general towards others (1 Thess. 5:18)
,in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
7. Being gentle and patient (Col. 3:12-14)
8. Seeing yourself as no better than others (Rom. 12:16; Eph. 3:8)
Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
9. Having an accurate view of your gifts and abilities (Rom. 12:3)
10. Being a good listener (James 1:19; Phil. 2:3-4)
So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;
11. Talking about others only if it is good or for their good (Prov. 11:13)
12. Being gladly submissive and obedient to those in authority (Rom. 12:1-2, 13:1-2)
13. Being genuinely glad for others (Rom. 12:15)
Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
14. Being thankful for criticism or reproof (Prov. 9:8, 27:5-6)
15. Having a teachable spirit (Prov. 9:9)
16. Seeking always to build up others (Eph. 4:29)
Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
17. Serving
18. A quickness in admitting when you are wrong (Prov. 29:23)
19. A quickness in granting and asking for forgiveness (Col. 3:12-14)
20. Repenting of sin as a way of life (Col. 3:1-14; 1 Tim. 4:7-9)
Activity:
Draw a line down the center of the page. On each side write “Pride” and “Humility”. Read the below characteristics and mark the letters “a , b , c , etc” on either side whenever any of these characteristic refers to you – You can easily see what are the areas of Pride you are struggling with.
We ALL have elements of Pride. Lets allow God to show us what we need to work on within our own hearts.
| PRIDE | HUMILITY |
|---|---|
| a. self focus – my needs, my pain, my career, my reputation | a. focuses on pleasing God |
| b. seeks recognition and praise | b. God’s will, not mine |
| c. blind to own faults | c. willing to be attacked |
| d. easily offended | d. overcomes evil with good |
| e. rarely seeks help due to arrogance | e. decreases self so Jesus can increase |
| f. refuses to admit wrongs or ask to be forgiven | f. seeks godly counsel |
| g. refuses to submit to authority, disrespectful, blows up, slanders | g. quick to admit it when wrong and asks forgiveness |
| h. doesn’t like being told what to do | h. submits graciously to authority |
| i. blames other, justifies self | i. resolves conflicts |
| j. rejects correction or instruction | j. listens carefully |
| k. does not listen well, instead his mind is composing what he wants to say, a self-serving focus rather than on serving others | k. grateful for correction and instruction |
| l. twists truth, has a distorted view of reality | l. seeks to help others be more Christlike |
| m. deludes himself by believing he has superior understanding, knows others thoughts and motives | m. seeks to serve, to encourage and to build-up |
| n. trivializes what he has done to others’ and exaggerates what others have done to him | n. speaks softly and uses helpful words |
| o. views others better than self |
| RESULTS OF PRIDE | RESULTS OF HUMILITY |
|---|---|
| uncontrolled tongue, lashes out, says hurtful words, slanders, gossips, quarrelsome, divisive | grows in grace |
| alienates people, destroys relationships | fruitful |
| dwells on what is destructive, violates | close relationships |
| rigid, unteachable, stubborn, jealous e. remains immature and unChristlike | honored |
| life characterized by strife, conflict, instability, dishonesty, and inconsistency | transformed more and more into Christ’s image |
| robbed of joy, peace and effectiveness | available , approachable |
| useless | sought out by people in need of help & guidance |
| steadfast, not easily discouraged | |
| does not have to have recognition or praise | |
