What does God have to say about pride?
Identifying the truth about what words mean really matters! Here’s a definition of ‘good’ pride as the Apostle Paul was addressing a group of people who he had some difficulties with in 2 Corinthians 7:4, “Great is my confidence in you; great is my pride and boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in spite of all our trouble.”
However, here in Proverbs 16:18 we’ll see a far different meaning, “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” Context is always king, as we need to use great discernment when studying what the Bible teaches us.
Satan was cast out of heaven due to the ‘bad’ kind of pride here in Isaiah 14:12-15, “How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High. Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.”
We can learn a good lesson from our adversaries’ actions and the consequences that followed his pridefulness, as there is guaranteed to be nothing but disaster ahead for us as well if/when we selfishly try to pridefully replace God.
Another word for pride is arrogance, and the frame-of-reference when used in the Bible is always one in which God detests it as a behavior or attitude, like here in Proverbs 16:5, “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.”
Jesus said in Mark 7:20-23, ““It is what comes from inside that defiles you. For from within, out of a person’s heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, lustful desires, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. All these vile things come from within; they are what defile you.”
Proverbs 4:20-22 says, “My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn; Open your ears to my sayings. Do not let them escape from your sight; Keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, And healing and health to all their flesh.”
I was blessed to have been taught by a world-class golf instructor, PGA Member Rudy Duran, who hammered into me to always, “Pay attention to those things that were within my control.” It not only works well in learning how to play your best golf, but it’s absolutely imperative to identifying truth from God’s word as well.
My favorite acronym for BIBLE is; Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Seems like we could all benefit from paying more attention to God’s love letter to us, eh?!