HEALTHY CHURCH: What Does God Say About Pride?

The month of June has brought an overabundant use of the word pride. Many are “proud” of what they have decided is truth and what they have determined is right and wrong. They take “pride” in their very “me” centric declaration. What is God’s perspective on pride and on anyone declaring how proud they are? Proverbs 16:18 states clearly, “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” James 4:6 says, ^“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” Even a casual look at the Scriptures gives an overwhelming negative testimony on pride.

Pride is an issue that raises its ugly head in all of us. Some are proud of their immorality, while others are proud (like the Pharisee in Luke 18) that they are not like those who are immoral. They incorrectly believe it makes them better than those other sinners. Pride is wrong when you feel like you are better because you have avoided certain shameful sins. The Puritans stated that the seed of every sin is in every heart. We must stand for the truth of God, but you must also remember that it is only the grace of God that has kept us out of far “greater” transgressions. We are all sinners and have nothing to be proud of.

This is the second time this year God has led me to write on pride, maybe because we see it everywhere. We have nothing to be proud of before Him, but rather we should be overwhelmingly grateful His grace that has saved us from ourselves. Anyone and everyone must come to Jesus on His terms, and no one meets His standards. J.D. Greear stated, “Whosoever will may come, and it doesn’t matter what the mistakes of your past are, the problems of your present, or your potential, or lack thereof, for the future.” Why? Because there is only one hope and that is the blood of Jesus Christ that cleanses us.

One way to detect pride in your life is to listen to the pronouns you are using. Bill Elliff stated that, “Humility is a heart that automatically makes the right use of pronouns.” Look at II Sam. 7:18-29 and you will notice that David exalts the name of God and not his own. When you listen to a proud person, you will immediately notice they just can’t seem to help using the “I” word over and over. It is almost a mindless, unconscious admission that, deep down, they believe everything good that has happened is because of them. Discerning ears and concerned friends will notice and be saddened by this admission.

J.D. Greear continued, “The essence of pride is competition.” We are always competing through comparison, and that either produces pride because you see yourself as better or it produces an inferiority complex because you see yourself as less than them. If you think you are a better leader than someone else, you “feel” good about yourself and you find your identity in that comparison more than you do in Christ. Then, if you believe you are a terrible leader compared to another leader, it brings despair, which can quickly lead to jealousy and even hatred. Both are rooted in pride and can be devastating in your spiritual walk.

Think of all the comparisons we can easily focus on that cause us either to boast or to brood. Do you think you are a better preacher than most, or are you concerned that you are a terrible preacher? The real question is, has God called you to preach and what are you going to do to be the best preacher for Him you can possibly be? Quit comparing yourself to other preachers because they are not you and God never asked you to be them. Quit comparing yourself to other leaders because they have strengths you will never have, and you have strengths they will never have. If you want to boast, boast in the cross of Jesus Christ.

Years ago, I was preaching at a youth camp and a young lady walked up to me and said, “You are not really a preacher. You are just a cheerleader.” (For context, you would have had to hear the message that night!) At first, I was greatly offended and trying hard not to show my disappointment, but then it dawned on me that everyone knows whose team a cheerleader is on, so I was good with that. This journey as preachers, pastors and leaders is not about perfection, nor is it about being better and more successful than others. This journey is about becoming exactly who God has called you to be.

How do you react when you “feel” like you do not measure up? If your identity is wrapped up in being better than others, it can be quite devastating. You can become very defensive and super sensitive to criticism. Applause will corrupt you and criticism will crush you if your heart and motives are not right with the Lord. If you do not guard your heart, you may begin justifying yourself with your own personal list of what makes you special and sets you apart. You can also begin criticizing others because if they are more “successful” than you, then they must be cutting biblical corners and doing something wrong.

Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” One pastor said it quite well, ”Because the human heart is so deceitful (Jer. 17:9), it fools us so easily and so often. We foolishly employ tactics to pacify our insecurities and fears that ultimately make them worse.”

Let’s take Paul’s advice in Gal. 6:14 (HCSB), “But as for me, I will never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world has been crucified to me through the cross, and I to the world.”