Tag: Self-Help

A Shape-Shifting Sin

Pride deserves to die, but it is hard to spot and even harder to kill. Pride is a slippery sin because it is a shape-shifter. Jonathan Edwards said pride is “the most hidden, secret, and deceitful of all sins.” Let me give you an example. Here is a conversation that I might have with myself after a meeting at church:

“That meeting went really well. I think the turning point might have been when I asked that question which no one had thought to ask before. Wait a minute! That was such a prideful thought. It sounds like I am taking credit for the meeting going well. I am such a prideful person. I hate my pride.”

Meanwhile three seconds later, “I fight pride pretty hard. I’m glad that I caught that initial prideful thought. I wonder if other people are as aware of their pride and fight it as hard as I do. Wait a minute! It just happened again. I am taking pride in my awareness of pride. O, deliver me from this body of death, Lord Jesus! Thank you God that you give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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Think of Yourself Less Fighting Pride’s Preoccupation with Me Resource by Jason Meyer

I am very qualified to speak on pride because I am so proud. I hate my pride, but what I take even more seriously is how God hates it so much more.

Pride is our greatest enemy because it makes God our enemy — an almighty opponent. “God opposes the proud” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). Why? What makes pride so singularly repulsive to God is the way that pride contends for supremacy with God himself. Pride is not one sin among many, but a sin in a class by itself. Other sins lead the sinner further from God, but pride is particularly heinous in that it attempts to elevate the sinner above God.

Pride is not just a sin, but a sinful mother — a sinful orientation that gives birth to more sins. For example, pride can lead to lying. You tell a lie because you are too proud to admit you were wrong or you did something wrong. But the problem is so much bigger. Pride doesn’t just tell lies; it is a lie.

Why? Pride is self-obsession; pride is preoccupation with ourselves. Therefore, it is a lie about reality. It says I am worth thinking about all the time. It is an orientation that wrongly assumes that everything revolves around us.

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15. Do not think highly of yourself.

No matter how high your education level is or how much you have in the bank, never think that you are better or more important than anyone else. The more blessings you have received, the humbler you should be. Notice how the more fruits a tree branch has, the lower it bows.

Photo by ErtanBayraktar

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13. Treat others like how you want to be treated.

If you want to be respected, then you have to respect everyone else. If you want to be served, then you have to serve others too. Never think you deserve better treatment than how you treat others.

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12. Do not demand attention and respect.

Never demand special treatment, acknowledgment, or respect from others no matter what your position or credentials are. Like trust, respect is earned, and being unassuming is the first step to it. As the Bible says, do not exalt yourself because even God resists the proud.

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10. Be content and thankful for what you have.

This does not mean that you should not aim for greater things—you always have to persevere to achieve them. However, while you do not have them yet, be content and grateful for what you currently possess. This will stop you from being envious of what others have, which could lead you to compete.

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8. Do not let appreciation get into your head.

Too many praises and appreciations could make your head grow big. To avoid this from happening, just treasure in your heart those appreciations you receive but do not meditate on them. Always evaluate yourself to make sure pride has not got into your head.

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