Pride is something that everyone must deal with. It is something that naturally tends to come into our lives and stay. Like many other things, it is very deceitful, because it is commonly accepted by the world in which we live. People today are proud of being proud. Americans are proud of their country, their jobs, their children, their lawns, their sports teams, their vehicles, their ambitions, their goals, their looks, their friends, their homes, and the list could go on. If we think about it, the carnal man is proud of just about anything. People stand and proclaim they are proud and boast of their great accomplishments. People look at something someone has done and proclaim to the doer, “You should be proud of yourself!”
There is one problem; God hates pride! God actually despises the proud. In Psalms, it says that God will cut off …the tongue that speaketh proud things –Psalm 12:3. And in Job it says He will …behold every one that is proud, and abase [put down or make low] him –Job 40:11. Psalms 40:4 says He will not respect the proud and in Psalm 119: Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments –Psalm 119:21. In Proverbs, we read that: The LORD will destroy the house of the proud… –Proverbs 15:25, and that Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD… –Proverbs 16:5. In Malachi, it says that …behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud… –Malachi 4:1. Finally, James states that …God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble –James 4:6.
As we can see, the Bible is very clear on pride, and the people who are proud. There is no room for pride in our hearts or lives. So, what do we do with this? Are we proud? Do we boast as the world does?
I would like to call attention to a hidden form of pride that can slip into our lives, sometimes unnoticed. We will call it false humility. If we have a false humility, would it not actually be a form of pride?
Let us look first at Law and Grace. Someone that is under the law does not desire to do what he must do, but rather, he does it because of the law. For example, the law states that we should not kill, yet (according to the law) we are allowed to be angry. Someone can hate another and even desire to kill him, but if they resist the temptation to kill, they have indeed kept the law. Many people today who claim to be Christians, are actually under the law. They do all that they do because of a law, or an order from their authority. We can see this clearly when people push the law, doing the least that is required, but still technically keeping the law.
The head covering is a good example. A woman who desires to cover her head because of what the Bible teaches, will indeed cover her head. She does not need to be reminded to do it or be admonished for doing it half-heartedly. On the other hand, there are Christians that cover their heads; however, the actual covering continues to get smaller, and less noticeable. Some even put it all the way on the back of the head and color it the same as their hair, trying to keep it from being noticed by the uncovered public. This clearly reveals the heart; they are simply complying with the law.
This type of thinking can go for many things. One more would be adornment. The bible says that the adornment should not be outward. Many Christians will not adorn themselves with flashy eye-catching things, however there are no standards about adorning homes, vehicles, and such like. So, a plain, unadorned person gets out of their adorned vehicle and walks into their very adorned home. This shows where the heart is—under the law.
Now let us look at grace. It is the power of God in the life of a human being. It causes one to actually love their enemies, to do good to those who mistreat them. It causes one to love their God with all their heart and obey God’s commands because of a passionate love for Him. The law is no longer needed because the heart is new; it desires to live for God. When someone does evil to you, you do not think about getting even. In fact, you do not even get angry. You are a new creature and because of this power—grace from God—you love him that has done you wrong. Forgiving is not a problem; helping others is natural. You are not your own and you desire to be all you can be for your Savior who died for you.
What does this have to do with pride or humility?
The Bible says that …the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ –John 1:17. It does not take God’s Spirit in our lives for us to obey the law—we can do that on our own. Therefore, we can become proud by doing things for God because WE did them. When we did not allow our anger to spew out when disagreeing with a neighbor, we think well of ourselves, and we can become proud. However, when we actually love our neighbor that has a problem with us, we cannot become proud because it was grace; it was the power of God that caused this, not ourselves. Therefore, we marvel at God and his abundant grace.
It would be foolish for someone to be proud of something that God clearly did! If Lazarus walked around boasting of himself for being raised from the dead, people would question his sanity, saying, “You did nothing! It was Jesus that did everything.”
I’m not trying to say that the Christian does nothing. No, we must humbly obey the commandments of God and walk in His ways. However, I am saying that we cannot boast in ourselves because it is God that enables us to obey His commandments.
Let us look at the popular story of David and Goliath. David went to the army to take provisions to his brothers who were fighting there. As he approached, he marveled at what he saw, a large man challenging his people! David seemed a bit shocked, and aggrieved as he asked, …who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? –1 Samuel 17:26.
What does David’s oldest brother Eliab say to him? “I know thy pride.”
Eliab thought the attitude of David was prideful, and we can see why. A ruddy youth walks up from tending sheep and wonders why someone is not taking care of this large man. It sounds a bit off. But what was David thinking? He was only thinking about what God could, and most likely, wanted to do! He did not think for a moment that he himself could do anything in this situation.
He is then brought before King Saul: And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth –1 Samuel 17:33.
David responded, … Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God –1 Samuel 17:34-36.
David here is super confident, but why?! David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine… –1 Samuel 17:37.
Clearly his confidence is because the Lord is fighting for him. David was not concerned that he was “but a youth” and he did not understand why people questioned him. He was only thinking about what God was going to do! However, Eliab saw David’s confidence as pride. Possibly God had not worked in Eliab’s life. Maybe he did not know of the power of God; therefore, to him it looked like foolish pride.
And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him –1 Samuel 17:38-39.
So, David chose to not wear the armor; it would only have been a hindrance. Rather, he chose some stones then he ran out to fight the giant. Of course, the giant also did not understand. When he …saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth … And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field –1 Samuel 17:42-44.
Then David said …Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee … that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel –1 Samuel 17:45-46.
Notice then what David did. He killed the giant, cut off his head, and took his head back to Jerusalem. What do you think Eliab thought now? Here is the younger brother marching around the streets of Jerusalem with the head of the defeated giant! King Saul calls for David and he goes to see Saul, still holding the severed head.
Why was David not proud? Because he knew it was not he himself that did it. It was God who had done a marvelous work! He was simply testifying of the grace of God.
When we do a work on our own, we cannot boast of it because we did it. It would be pride, so we remain silent and call it humility, even if we desire others to see it. However, when it is a super-natural work of God, we now must boast of what God has done! We are called to this.
Is God working in your life? Are you confused as to whether it is you or God? Ask yourself a question, “Am I doing things that people who are not relying on God can still do?” If we are not doing anything differently than the world, then God is not working in our life. It is that simple. No one enjoys getting angry. I spent most of my childhood and teenage years going to anger management classes where counselors tried to teach us how to control our anger. The unregenerate heart can learn to hide anger, but only God can change the heart. I never heard a counselor teach us how to love people instead of getting angry with them, since it is impossible! It is only a work of the living God in one’s life, and in that work, we must boast! We testify of the outpouring of the grace of God in our lives. When someone believes it is pride, just like Eliab did, it’s because they only see the working of the Law, where all is done by man’s feeble attempts.
Let us look at an example to help us understand. If you decide to build a house, every day you put on your nail bag and get to work. It takes you time and energy, but finally the house is finished. You are standing in front of the newly constructed home with a friend. “Wow,” he states, “This house is beautiful! It looks perfectly built!”
Your cheeks blush a little and you begin to point out the flaws that you know, “No, it’s not perfect, you see that over there? I messed up on that gable…. And the siding over there… it’s not exactly straight.” We do this because we want to be humble! If we would say, “Yes, it is a beautiful house; I did a great job building it!” it would be prideful, right?
Now, what if you wanted to build a house and you realize you are not able to build it; you need God’s help. You pray for help then bam, the house is built! You never even put on your nail bag; the house miraculously appeared. God built it. Now how would the conversation go with your friend? Would you still point out all the flaws? NO! You would boast of its perfection, boldly proclaiming what the Lord had done.
When God does a work in our lives, it is not pride to tell people about it. It takes humility to say that we did not do it, but that God did! However, the devil wants us to quiet down and say it is humility like Eliab wanted David to do. We need men and women today that can boldly proclaim what God is doing in their lives!
Instead, it seems we have many defeated people that actually believe it is godly to talk down about ourselves, to act as if we are a defeated sinner trying to struggle through this earthly existence. “Rise up, Oh man of God! Be done with lesser things!”
I realize one could ask, “So, we should go around boasting about how righteous we are?” To this question, I will paint another picture. A poor criminal who has only known the city streets as home, steals and robs just to get by. He knows he is a bad person, yet he knows nothing else. One day God reveals himself to this man. In a dark alley he repents of his sin and gives his life to the Lord. God saves him, transforms him, converts him. He leaves that alley a new person! He has joy in his heart and peace in his soul!
What do you expect him to tell his friends? Um, the siding over there is not straight, the windows are too small….
NO, certainly not! Rather, he would say I’m perfect! God has done a great work, look at me! I’ve been saved by the power of God! By the blood of Jesus! All this as he skips down the road in the beauty of holiness.
