Pride +/-

We all have an “I” problem - it is in the center of the word PRIDE. It’s about what I want, not what those I love want, or even what the God I serve wants. It’s so easy to see in others, and so hard to see in ourselves.

Not all pride is wrong. In fact, without good pride we would not be very healthy people. But that is not the pride we struggle with. The pride we struggle with is selfish and stubborn pride, the pride that holds grudges, that thinks it’s always right, judges others, is conceited and arrogant - this is the kind of pride we are focusing on today.

What does it do to us – and how can we stop it?

The damage pride does:

-Causes conflicts

“He that is of a proud heart stirs up strife.”
Proverbs 28:25

Pride says that we are right. We want to hold on to our opinions so tightly that we cannot hear the other person, can’t listen. It’s a hard thing to do – to listen when we think we have it right. It can only be overcome when we decide we want to listen more than we want to be heard, when we want to care more than we want to be cared for, when we want to give more than receive.

The opposite of love is not hate – it’s pride. Because love is about the other person and pride is about me.

-Prevents personal growth
You can’t grow with pride. It’s like a dam – stopping progress. It makes us unteachable, unable to learn from each other. It leaves us with ourselves as our only teacher.

“Anyone willing to be corrected is on the pathway to life.
Anyone refusing has lost his chance.”
Proverbs 10:17

It’s pride that keeps us from getting help in our areas of struggle. People die because they won’t ask for help with their health; marriages die because people won’t accept counseling, finances crash because we won’t ask for advice. How teachable are you?

-God opposes it
Not only does pride stop us from listening and learning from others, but it stops us from listening and learning from God.

Humility is at the heart of Christ-like character. It is the antidote to pride and the hallmark of emotional maturity.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up.”
James 4:10

Notice in this verse that humility doesn’t originate with God. Humility isn’t something to be prayed for. “Humble yourselves.” Humility is a choice – something we work at.

How can we live humbly?

• Honestly confess your failures
  It’s hard to admit when you’re wrong. Self-justification is normal – it’s easier.

“A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.”

                                                                Proverbs 28:13

            Can you listen to correction – and make changes? Can you honestly tell God you were  

            wrong and admit your failures?

• Realistically evaluate your strengths
  Not everyone can be a great singer, or mathematician, or baseball player. But what God has gifted us to do, we can do better than anyone else. It’s not that we can be anything we want; it’s that we can be all that God created us to be.

“Don’t cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself or your importance,

but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities.”

                                                              Romans 12:3

             Comparison is not how to understand our strengths. There’s always somebody better.               In finding what God has called us to do, we find our unique strengths.

• Unselfishly serve others
  When you’re helping others, it’s hard to think of yourself. Are you all caught up in making things work for you? Maybe the best thing you can do is something for somebody else.

“Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

                                                              Philippians 2:4

• Depend on Jesus continually
                  “True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor and long life.”
                                                      Proverbs 22:4
  

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking more about others -
not less of yourself, but less about yourself.
Humility is the antidote for pride.

______________________________

Do you have a contentious relationship with someone you care about?
Do you think you’re right? Take time this week to sit and listen to him/her – without formulating a correction or rebuttal. What did you hear?

How do you envision yourself? What have you done with what God has given you?

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