Pride wears a thousand faces. But regardless of which face it wears, it is an affront to God. The birthmark of pride is defiance. Defiance of who God is and what God has said. Pride won’t acknowledge that God is Most High, nor will it heed what God tells us about ourselves.
The braggart, who can’t stop talking about his accomplishments, defies God by proud ingratitude. The sullen mope, who can’t take her mind off herself, defies God by proud unbelief. Boasting refuses to thank God for the blessings which have been received, and as such the blessings turn into chains and anvils. Self-pity refuses to believe God’s promise about those who are in Christ, and turns the promises into a poisoned well.
God reveals that He alone is worthy of praise, and to Him alone should we render our reverence and awe, and in the cross alone should we boast. Who God is reveals that we have nothing in ourselves of which to glory. Furthermore, what God says about us is the best weapon with which to combat pride, regardless of the face it wears.
To the one who glories in himself, God says, “Who are you, O man (Rom. 9:20)?” It reveals that our greatest glories are filthy rags. To the one who is self-absorbed with insecurities, God says, “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17).” God sees through all of our charades of pride and rebukes them all. One last thing, Pride is like a leg brace preventing us from bending low, but if it were removed, we’d crumple under our own weight. Humility, however, casts aside the crutch, and receives healing for lameness and by God’s grace is made to stand fast.
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