Overcoming Pride #1 of 2

Everyone struggles with pride to some degree. To deny you don’t struggle with pride is probably an indicator that pride is a bigger problem than you originally imagined. The manifestations of pride are usually different for every person. Some people are loud and others very quiet. Pride has been around since before mankind. It can flare up at any stage of life, and has taken down many good Christians. Pride causes people to not know the Lord (Psalm 10:4) and Christians to not grow in the Lord. Pride is an abomination to God (Proverbs 6:16-17; 16:5) and always brings shame to whoever possesses it (Proverbs 11:2). It was pride that caused Lucifer, the devil, to fall (Isaiah 14:12-15), as well as many great leaders (Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and King Saul to name a few). Pride is a sickness that is not easily detected by others, but is certainly fatal to the beholder. So instead of discussing our battle with pride, let’s jump right in and discuss some proven Biblical ways to overcome this nasty problem. 

Don’t think so highly of yourself.

The intention is not to get you to beat yourself up, or to walk around with false humility, but to be honest with yourself. Listen to what the apostle Paul advises the Christians in Rome: “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

Have you ever considered where humans came from? According to the Bible, in Genesis 2:7, God made mankind out of the dust of the ground. How much is dirt worth? When I was a missionary in Argentina, an evangelist friend told me that the chemicals in the human body amounted up to about 7 pesos (equivalence of $2.50 at that time). This isn’t to belittle your worth as a person, but to cause a reality check. Too many times we walk around like a peacock thinking we’re all that and a bag of chips, when in reality, we probably think way too highly of ourselves. 

It might be that God has gifted you with evident talents, financial security, or strong intelligence, but God warns you about thinking too highly of yourself. The wise king Solomon said, “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.” (Proverbs 27:1-2). Self-proclaimed greatness is not really greatness. Don’t forget that it’s God who gave you what you have, and it’s God who can take from you what He has given to you. Pride wants you to think that you’re the greatest, so be cautious of thinking too highly of yourself.

Don't take the credit for success.

My pastor used to tell me about the “grace sandwich.” You have to work harder than almost anyone, but in the end the success is because of God. I thought the advice was genius, but this concept was not original with him, it comes straight from the Bible. Listen to the Bible’s way of saying it: “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10). To see children raised for Jesus, a ministry built, and people trained to lead in ministry is all by the grace of God, plus a lot of hard work. God’s grace and man’s efforts do not contradict each other, they complement each other. Shame on the man who sits back expecting God to work but doesn’t give it his all. But even greater shame to take the credit when it’s time to give away the credit. You'd better work hard, but when the credit ribbons are being passed out, don’t forget Who gave you the success!

I heard a joke about a woodpecker who was pecking a telephone pole. He was working hard to find some bugs even though the rain was falling heavily. Out of seemingly nowhere, a lightning bolt hit the telephone pole, and it exploded. The woodpecker fell to the ground but quickly jumped back up to look at the pole. He stood to his feet, pushed out his chest, and said, “Look at the explosion I just made!” When something wonderful is accomplished, we should remember that, although we were busy at our job, it was God who caused the explosion of success. 

God teaches us to give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7). No one arrived at where they are alone. Parents, teachers, friends, coworkers, pastors, and mentors were a few of the people God used in your life to get you where you are. Don’t forget that. In fact, when was the last time you wrote one of them a letter thanking them for the role they played in your life? Don't only give honor to whom honor is due, but give credit to whom credit is due. Pride tells you that you made it to this point by yourself, but be honest and give credit to those who helped you arrive where God has placed you.