Encouragement

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It is easy to conjure up images of a prideful person, strutting about like a peacock, chest out, nose in the air, flaunting a condescending attitude toward those he considers beneath him.

While that is one face worn by Pride, there are many others, cleverly disguised yet just as harmful.

In researching the Greek and Hebrew meanings of pride, I found it nearly always means “arrogant, puffed up and haughty.” This was the source of Lucifer’s downfall, the first case of pride recorded in the Bible.

THE PRIDEFUL KNOW IT ALL.

We are all familiar with the proverb, “pride cometh before the fall.” My vivid imagination comically pictures a short stout person, so incredibly puffed up with pride that he can’t see his feet—consequently the fall! Seriously though, pride causes distorted perception. A prideful person thinks he knows everything on any given subject, and is not open to correction let alone another viewpoint. This attitude propels him along a dangerous path, guided by decisions based on his lofty view of himself, presuming that he alone knows what is best.

God has a lot to say about pride and He lists it in Proverbs 6:17 as one of the things He hates! Although He loves all people, He says He only recognizes the proud and haughty person from a distance! (Psalm 138:6b Amplified) In other words, there is no intimate fellowship, no closeness. James 4:6b says that God sets Himself against the proud and haughty. One translation says He opposes them. This is why a prideful person is often a lonely person, surrounded only by insecure individuals who want his favor.

THE PRIDEFUL MASK OF FALSE HUMILITY.

A believer who continues to see himself as an unworthy worm is not displaying humility. Jesus paid the ultimate price to purchase us and make us joint heirs, seated with Him in a position of authority. If we contradict that by seeing ourselves as worms, we are actually prideful, contradicting and opposing what He said! Of course we’re not worthy in ourselves; we are worthy (worth it) because of the price that was paid for us! True humility is agreeing with God!

THE PRIDEFUL MASK OF OFFENSE.

How often we have heard people say, “I have a right to be hurt.” I’m not minimizing the terrible things that have been inflicted on people. As Christians we are to help bear the burdens of others in order to pull them out of the place of hurt and help bring them to a place of wholeness.

I am thankful for mature Christians who didn’t offer me pity or commiserate with me in my bitterness. Rather they reached out their hands to me and lifted me up. It took courage for them to speak the truth in love, to encourage me to forgive. The rewards were great!

Luke chapter 6 was a lifesaver for me, instructing me to bless those who hurt me, to pray for them who took advantage of me, to invoke or call down God’s blessings on them! If we say we can’t, we are opposing God, which is pride. He says we can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us.

I will admit that when I first began to do this, I did not “feel” like it, but I did it because the Words said to do it. In several weeks my feelings caught up. Feelings are like the caboose on a train. It just follows along wherever the engine goes. The Bible is the engine, and the car behind that is our will. The caboose is our feelings. When we get them all in the right order, it works just fine!

SYMPTOMS OF PRIDE.

Pride takes advantage of others.
Pride doesn’t take correction or instruction.
Pride bends the truth.
Pride can’t admit to being wrong.
Pride is unthankful.
Pride puts on a façade.
Pride doesn’t like to be under authority..
Pride is touchy and easily offended.
Pride makes excuses.
Pride wants to be seen.
Pride is a name dropper.
Pride does all the talking—is not a listener.
Pride wants to be noticed or recognized for good deeds.
Pride is easily angered.
Pride is defensive.
Pride shifts blame to others.
In short, the prideful person is an insecure person.

CURE FOR PRIDE.

Come close to God and He will come close to you. As you draw near to God, be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep over your disloyalty. God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace continually to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it). Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and he will exalt you, lift you up and make your lives significant. (Excerpts from James 4:610 Amplified).

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