I came out of Bible study class one Lord’s day to find my friend upset with the preacher over a discussion they were having in class regarding the word *pride.* He took umbrage with him over the word and couldn’t understand why some would be careless in dress or their work and having no pride in themselves.

We explained the disconnect he was having with the word and the meaning.  He understands now, but he was ready to do battle over the word.  My friend used the word pride in the sense of one having dressed themselves properly for work and taking care they did a good job while at work, but pride has another meaning as well.  Arrogance and conceit, high minded.  This is the pride our Father hates.

“Make no mistake about it: pride is the great sin.  It is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool.”    ~ C. S. Lewis

“When pride cometh, then cometh shame:  but with the lowly is wisdom.”   Proverbs 11:2

“Everyone that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord:  though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”   Proverbs 16:5

“A man’s pride shall bring him low:  but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”   Proverbs 29:23

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”   Proverbs 16:18

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”   I John 2:16

“These six things doth the Lord hate:  yea, seven are an abomination unto Him:  A proud look, a lying tongue, andhands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.:    Proverbs 6:16-19

Pride:  Keeps us from settling differences with others.  “I’m right and you’re wrong.”  There is a Biblical way of settling differences and animosity with our neighbor.  Pride keeps us from loving our neighbor as our Lord gave us commandment to do.

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it.  Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”    Matthew 22:36-40

Pride:  Keeps us from Truth, for we want to accept what others say in the place of what God says, but we are to seek His will and not our own.

“The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?”    Obadiah 1:3

Pride:  Keeps us from baptism.  After all, Go is so tolerant, He will accept any belief.  “Behold I thought. . . . . ”   Naaman lifted himself up with pride.  He wanted to wash himself of leprosy in water he wanted, and not the water God commanded.  When he humbled himself, and obeyed God, he was cleansed of his leprosy.  He skin became as that of a child.  There is a lesson here for us, if we heed.  We are to be obedient to His Word, and then we will have the inheritance which He has promised.  His promises are sure.

“But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.  Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?  may I not wash in them, and be clean?  So he turned and went away in a rage.  And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?  how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?  The went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God:  and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he as clean.”   II Kings 5:11-14

Pride:  Tells us our own goodness will get us to heaven. It is trust and obedience to Him which gets us to heaven and not ourselves.  Pride makes us believe we have no need of God.  Pride keeps us from admitting we are sinners

“Behold, Thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before Thee:  verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.”    Psalms 39:5

Pride:  Makes us self-righteous, an arrogant pride which separates us from God.  Proud people, haughty people are too preoccupied with themselves than to have a knowledge of their dependency on God.  They believe they have no need of God.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:  but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”   Proverbs 1:7

“The wise in heart will receive commandments:  but a prating fool shall fall.”   Proverbs 10:8

Pride:  Is a haughty attitude and doesn’t seek being humble.  Those who have humility are the hearts He desires.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit:  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”    Matthew 5:3

“For pride is a spiritual cancer:  it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.”   ~ C. S. Lewis

Eileen Light