Are You – Proud Or Humble?
Pride is like deception. When you are, you are the last one to know it. It is like looking at a photograph of yourself. You don’t think it looks like you, or you think that there is something wrong with the camera. It just isn’t you in the photo. You see, our view of our self, so much of the time, just doesn’t correspond to reality. When it comes to judging ourselves, there are just two criterions: Pride or humility.
Pride is like a two-sided coin. On the one side there is arrogance. Arrogance glories in self, which voices itself through the soul. Pride declares: “I will, I want and I think.” This was the attitude in Satan that caused his fall. He not only wanted to be greater than the other angels, but he wanted to be equal to God. This was regarded as rebellion. Arrogance is not only an attitude of superiority, but also the quest for equality.
On the other side of the coin of pride is insecurity. Nimrod wanted to make a name for himself, (arrogance), so he built the tower of Babel. The reason was because of the fear of being dispersed, (Gen. 11.4). To compensate for one’s insecurity and fear, the tendency is to boast of one’s achievements and abilities or to pull down other’s reputations and accomplishments to the level of his own.
Humility, on the other hand, is knowing who you are in Christ, and that apart from Him you are nothing. A humble person doesn’t need to have the last word nor to “one up” the stories told. Jesus compared a humble person to that of a little child. A child is a learner not a teacher. A child is lifted up by another. A few years ago, I was ministering in a pastors’ conference in China. There present was the pastor responsible for over 60,000 home groups, but during that week of meetings, I never knew who he was. He did not sit on the front row, nor felt he needed a slot in the agenda to speak. He just wanted to learn and be just one of the body of believers.
Humility honors others. Pride honors itself. Humility looks up. Pride looks down. Humility expects to serve. Pride expects to be served. Humility considers others more important than himself. Pride considers others equal to himself. Humility is patient. Pride is impatient. Humility desires God’s will. Pride thinks his will is God’s will.
In the Proverbs it says: “pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall,” (16.18). Have you ever been on the roof of a high building and when you look down, it felt like you would fall? If you look down you will fall down. What is your perspective? Are you looking down on others, your job, your church, your life, or are you looking up? Look up and you will be content. Look up and you will be happy. Look up and you will go up.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Is. 14.12-15; I John 2.16; Prov. 21.24; 16.5, 18-19; 29.23; Mal. 4.1-2; I Peter 5.5; Mat. 18.4; 23.12.