The problem of pride.

Humanity up to now can be justifiably termed as the staggering burden of needless bloodshed. And it may be easy to wage war against an enemy but quite difficult against a friend. However the greatest battle ever waged is against self. And to fight against pride is definitely to fight against self.

For clarity’s sake this is the definition of the pride I’m talking about, “an excessive preoccupation with self and one’s own importance, achievements, status, or possessions. ”

It is hard to deal with pride because we feel like it comes naturally with the fallen nature. Pride, however, as any other sin is described as the transgression of the law of love(to love God supremely and mankind genuinely). Sin is a choice to disobey and only the understanding of this can make obedience possible. Once we get that, then we acknowledge we need Christ to help us obey. This is because when sin is presented to us, it is always presented with the plausible idea to bring us into a higher state of existence. The result is however, always fatal to our happiness and even life itself.

It has been an eye opening thing for me to discover how pride is a result of a series of wrong thoughts we accept to think. It is my intention today, to share them with you to help you in your battle against pride, against self, your greatest battle. Pride sucks the color out of life. It places people in a constant state of competition, discontentment and ultimately unhappiness.

The first thought that you need to banish out of the mind is that a position sanctifies its holder. It is among the greatest heresies that has pervaded our society. Having a managerial position at work doesn’t make someone a good manager, being the top student doesn’t mean the student knows everything and neither does being a pastor mean that someone is more spiritual or closer to God. Positions are given either officially or merely implied. When we see ourselves as defined by our position, it gives us an entitlement and in that particular sphere we deem ourselves better than others. Influence however is not a privilege of position, its a corollary of character.

My second and latest discovery is that pride is also likely to be birthed in people with low self-worth. This then results in comparing our every little achievement with others, and every little achievement works like an elevator, to lift one up above everyone else. Pride is still not a good thing even in this “antidote case”. This person has not come to rightly value themselves because their worth is placed in tension with others. They will remain in constant state of either working to remain in glory’s view or lie about their achievements.

How detrimental this is to happiness because life is filled with both highs and lows. So failure will be fatally depressing to such individuals. Their lives will be innumerably cumbersome with no rest for their souls.

In your struggle against pride, take the Man of Calvary as your help. Though rightly deserving the title of “Master” he showed that the highest position is that of a servant. So even while they called Him Lord, He was down washing their feet.

When the question of His worth came up, He remembered His Father’s word that, “This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased”. And by His humanity, we have also been adopted to royalty and that is our worth! Sons and daughters of God, equal in His sight.

Jesus, is willing to help you overcome your pride. I hope you let Him, I hope He will become your vision.

Lastly practise gratitude and try complementing other people when they do good. These practical applications will go a long way to help, but only after heart surgery by the Great Physician that good works only follow good will for others.