Pride

 

“This is the one I esteem:  He who is humble and contrite

in spirit, and trembles at my word.”

(Isaiah 66:2)

 

 

Pride : self-aggrandizing, arrogant, or disdainful conduct

or treatment; haughtiness

 

 

Pride  is one of God’s least favorite characteristics of human be­ings.  He loves the humble, but talks strongly against the prideful.  Pride typically leads to disaster , but humility  leads to blessings. If you are prideful, you need to change your attitude and humble yourself before the Lord and before others, just as Jesus Christ humbled Himself for all humanity.

 

Synopsis

 

God “detests” the prideful¹ and promises that there will be a day when all people who are proud will be humbled.^2,3  If you have a prideful heart, you cannot hide it from God; the Lord judges our space

 

 

The Lord detests all the proud of heart.

(Proverbs 16:5)¹

 

The Lord Almighty has a day in store

for all the proud and lofty,

for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled).

(Isaiah 2:12)²

 

The arrogance of man will be brought low

and the pride of men humbled.

(Isaiah 2:17)³

 

 

inmost thoughts.⁴  And His judgment can be harsh.  Pride  often leads to the destruction⁵ and the downfall of the individual.⁶  God does not tolerate pride,⁷ and a prideful heart distances us from God.⁸ 

People who are prideful love to get praise and attention from others; in fact, they love the praise of men more than they love praise from God.⁹  In addition, prideful people love themselves so much that their pride interferes with their ability to detect their own sin.¹⁰  Their haughty behavior often leads to arguments and quarrels with others, and they typically fail to take advice when it is given¹¹ (Why do you need advice if you are almost perfect?).

He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost

thoughts.  He has brought down rulers from their

thrones, but has lifted up the humble.

(Luke 1:51-52)⁴

Pride  goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

(Proverbs 16:18)⁵

Before his downfall, a man’s heart is proud,

but humility  comes before honor.

(Proverbs 18:12)⁶

Whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,

him will I not endure.

(Psalm 101:5)⁷

Though the Lord is on high, he looks upon the lowly,

but the proud he knows from afar.

(Psalm 138:6)⁸

For they loved praise from men

more than praise from God.

(John 12:43)⁹

For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much

to detect or hate his sin.

(Psalm 36:2)¹⁰

Pride  only breeds quarrels, but wisdom  is found

in those who take advice.

(Proverbs 13:10)¹¹

God’s Guidance

The antidote for pride is humility .  God holds in high regard, peo­ple who are humble.¹²  This is not surprising, since humility  is a cardinal feature of the personality of Jesus Christ.¹³  Jesus hum­bled Himself for all human beings when, although He was equal to God, He came to earth and lived as a servant  and died for our sins.¹⁴ The Bible encourages us to adopt the same attitude of hu­milit y as shown by the actions of Jesus Christ.¹⁴

As Christians, we are commanded to “clothe ourselves in humility ” toward one another,¹⁵ and never think of ourselves as being better than anyone else,¹⁶ or look down on someone because of their “low position” or station in life.¹⁷  In fact, we are to honor others more than w

This is the one I esteem: He who is humble and

contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

(Isaiah 66:2)¹²

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

(Matthew 11:29)¹³

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with

God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant ,

being made in human likeness.

(Philippians 2:5-7)¹⁴

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility  toward one

another, because, “God opposes the proud,

but gives grace to the humble.”

(1 Peter 5:5)¹⁵

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit ,

but in humility  consider others better than yourselves.

(Philippians 2:3)¹⁶

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people

of low position.  Do not be conceited.

(Romans 12:16)¹⁷

than we honor ourselves,¹⁸ and consider others to be better than ourselves.¹⁹

In God’s eyes, we are foolish if we think of ourselves more highly than we should.^20,21 Also, He advises against a life that focuses on receiving honor and praise from others.²²

God holds in high esteem those who are humble and have a con­trite spirit.²³ In the end, it is humility  and fear of the Lord that bring wealth and honor and life.²⁴  It is the meek who will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.²⁵

Honor one another above yourselves.

(Romans 12:10)¹⁸

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit ,

but in humility  consider others better than yourselves.

(Philippians 2:3)¹⁹

Do not think of yourselves more highly than you ought,

but rather think of yourself with sober judgment,

in accordance with the measure of faith  

God has given you.

(Romans 12:3)²⁰

If you have played the fool and exalted yourself,

or if you have planned evil ,

clap your hand over your mouth!

(Proverbs 30:32)²¹

It is not good to eat too much honey,

nor is it honorable to seek one’s own honor.

(Proverbs 25:27)²²

This is the one I esteem:  he who is humble and contrite

in spirit, and trembles at my word.

(Isaiah 66:2)²³

Humility and fear of the Lord bring

wealth and honor and life.

(Proverbs 22:4)²⁴

But the meek will inherit the land

and enjoy great peace.

(Psalm 37:11)²⁵