1 Peter 5:5-6, “5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Pride is one of those sins that is always easier to see in others than ourselves. Pride goes hand-in-hand with self-deception because when people say we have it we will lie to cover it up. A wise man once said, “We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.” When confronted with our pride we’ll say something like, “I don’t have a problem with pride- its everyone else’s fault.” Consequently, in the church the person with pride attempts to “teach the teacher” and “correct the corrector.”
Pride has many different masks. Sometimes it can appear as false humility, “Who, me? You think I have pride? I’m just a lowly servant that everyone overlooks and never pays attention too.” Other times pride appears as over confidence, “Accountability? Nope, I’m all good. No need to probe into my life and see how I’m living when no one is looking- I’m here in this Bible study to help others who really need it.”
Self-pity and self-adornment have the same thing in common, “pride.” They both are false views of one’s self. The best definition of pride is, “to think of yourself differently than God does and to act differently than God commands.” For example, if you have self-pity and don’t believe you are who God says you are and you love to throw “pity patty parties” for yourself you have pride. On the other hand, if you think life is all about you and you can’t accept God’s command to be a servant to others you stink of pride.
The Bible, especially the book of Proverbs, has much to teach about pride. The easiest way King Solomon taught to be free from pride was to humble yourself before God and willingly receive correction from trusted leaders around you. Why? Because without being corrected by wise instructors you won’t be able to see your own pride and have instruction to personally overcome it. Proverbs 13:10 states, “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” Therefore, as Peter stated in the verses above those who are truly humble before God can submit to godly elders and serve others.
Therefore, if you want to overcome pride pray this simple prayer and mean it, “Dear Jesus, please send trusted leaders into my life to teach me to overcome my pride. Amen.”
Reflection
Are you humble enough, by God’s grace, to let leaders in your life teach you to overcome your own pride?
Action
- Repent of the times you have acted in pride towards church leadership.
- Ask God to make you humble like Jesus, Philippians 2.
- Trust godly leaders, who are led by the Spirit in your life, to help expose and overcome your pride.
