Pride – Bible lessons 4 young Christians

We all, at some point in life, have either bragged or boasted about ourselves to our friends or even strangers! Our friends would have called us a show-off behind our back several times. We too would have had this kind of experiences with others. Usually people show-off or boast to build an impression about themselves that they are someone greater than those around them. Have you ever wondered what causes us to show off or boast? Is bragging / showing-off a desirable quality?

Let us look into the treasure book and find clues!!!

OPENING THE TREASURE BOOK

Who is a boastful person?

Dictionary defines boasting / bragging as talking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about own achievements, possessions, or abilities. And showing-off is to boastfully display one’s abilities or accomplishments. These basically means nothing but crowning yourself and making yourself glorious in front of others.

For he says:
“By the strength of my hand I have done it,
And by my wisdom, for I am prudent;
Also I have removed the boundaries of the people, And have robbed their treasuries;
So I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man.
Isaiah 10:13

The word of God also describes a person who glory in himself / herself as boastful. Such people believe all their achievements are because of their own strength and wisdom. But they are foolish and ignorant of the fact that they are all God’s creation who are positioned by God to be used in a certain way. And also that, their achievements are actually God’s grace in their lives.

Shall the axe boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!
Isaiah 10:15

Imagine an axe that boast to the woodcutter who uses it, “You are very lucky that you are holding me. I have cut down many forests. You are nothing without me and you cannot do anything without me.” What do you think the woodcutter will do to such an axe? Definitely the axe becomes a nuisance and he would throw it away and look for another axe. Such an axe is definitely foolish and ignorant. If someone does not hold the axe and use it, it will just rust away and will not be useful in any way. Similarly is the one who boasts. They are foolish and ignorant of the fact that they are just an instrument used by God and their accomplishments are not in their might or strength but because of the grace of God. They take all the glory for themselves. They are in fact robbers who steal the glory that is due to God.

Boasting is not a desirable quality. The boastful are those who crown themselves and glory in themselves. Such people are foolish and ignorant that they are just vessels in the hand of God. They try to steal the glory that is due to God.

Why do we boast?

The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts.
Psalms 10:2-4

But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
James 4:16

If there is wickedness in your heart, pride and arrogance also becomes a part of you. Pride is to have a high opinion of oneself and ones importance. God detests pride. We already learned in Have an attitude? that GOD finds a Proud Heart DISGUSTING and He RESISTS it. When you have a prideful heart, it leads to arrogance – having an exaggerated sense of own importance. Pride and arrogance makes you feel more important and worthy than your fellow beings and in turn causes you to show off, boast and brag about yourself.

Boasting is a fruit of wickedness caused by Pride and Arrogance.

What should we glory in?

Thus says the Lord:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising loving kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the Lord.
Jeremiah 9:23-24

But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends.
2 Corinthians 10:17-18

The only thing we can take glory in is that we know the Lord God Almighty. We can glory in the Lord and nothing else. Everything else – our talents, our wisdom, our possession, our strength, our health, our beauty, our family background are all God’s gracious gift and not things for boasting or showing-off. Glory belongs to God and not to us in any way. We should give God the glory that is due to Him and not try to steal what is rightfully His by boasting, bragging and showing off.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

Even our salvation is a gift of God and is not dependent on our works or performance so that there is no chance for anyone to boast. Jesus, the son of God, died on the cross for our sake and rose back to life on the third day. Whoever believes in Him is saved from eternal doom. No flesh can boast about this as it is a free gift to all who believes in Jesus.

Glory belongs to God and only Him. He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.

Treasures uncovered

Boasting is a fruit of wickedness caused by Pride and Arrogance.

Glory belongs to God and only Him. He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.

Prayer:

Father, we thank you for teaching us that boasting is not a desirable quality. Help us to always consciously stay away from boasting or bragging. Help us to always detest wickedness and everything associated with it. Father, we give you all the glory and honor that is rightfully yours. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

There are many kinds of people around us. Some are very friendly, some are shy and some others very active & cheerful. There is also another category who puts on an “attitude” and are rude, arrogant & selfish. The world that we live in also promotes and glorifies the aspect of putting on an attitude. Is this right?

Well, putting on an attitude and being arrogant is normally an outcome of PRIDE. “Being Proud” means “thinking very highly about oneself and showing excessively high opinion of oneself & one’s importance”. For “the proud“, the world seems to revolve around them and they expect everyone else to think likewise and act likewise. They expect special treatment from everyone and consider themselves as “ELITE” – the best & the wisest. And when it comes to others, they scorn, they look down upon them and laugh at everything concerning them, even their achievements – if not openly, at least in their hearts…

Do you fall into this category? Do you have an attitude? Do you have a proud heart? Then you are in big trouble friend! BEWARE of “Being Proud“.

Why should we be so conscious about PRIDE? Let us open the treasure book for clues!!!

OPENING THE TREASURE BOOK

Clue 1 : What is wrong in having an attitude / being Proud?

Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:5

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble
James 4: 6

We already know that when God looks at a person, he scans the heart (What does God notice in me) and finds the exact condition of the heart. Here the word of God says that God doesn’t like a proud heart rather it is an abomination to him. For each one of us, there are things that disgusts us – maybe unclean surroundings, a pile of waste, certain smells etc. For GOD, a person with a PROUD HEART is DISGUSTING. GOD RESISTS them.

This is indeed a horrible place to be. If God resists us whom do we turn to? What do we do if He finds us disgusting? Since God hates a proud heart and finds its disgusting, we should never let our hearts be filled with pride and contempt. For that, we should constantly do a self-check.

The self check

A proud and haughty man – scoffer is his name. He acts with arrogant pride
Proverbs 21:24

A major behavioral trait of a proud person is SCOFFING… The word of God even calls a proud person “scoffer”. Scoffer is one who makes fun of others and their ideas. He will always look down upon others with contempt, consider them silly, laugh at them and their situations, even their achievements. Scoffers think they are better-off than everyone else and SUPERIOR to others. They tend to be arrogant in all their dealings. Probably, some people might not show these behavioral traits outwardly, but keeps it hidden inward. God is the scanner of hearts and He gets to see all these traits hidden in your hearts. So be true to yourself and examine if you are proud at heart – Do I scoff? Do I have these behavioral traits? If you do, now is the time to turn away from it and change your attitude.

So then how should our attitude be?

Clue 2: What should be our attitude?

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.
1 peter 5: 5-6

We should be submissive especially to our elders and to one another. Put on / wear humility as your attitude. We can be humble, when we submit ourselves completely to God and understand that all what we have and enjoy is a gracious gift of God. Even the next moment of our life is not in our hands and we do not have any control over it. We do not have any thing to be proud of, except our God. Also we are not superior to anyone rather are all God’s children. Our color, family background, financial stability, talents, social status, authority etc., doesn’t give us any edge over others. We should be of the same mind toward one another. Jesus, being God, humbled himself before the Father and gave Himself up for us who were lowly. When we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, He will give us grace and exalt us.

So clothe yourself with humility and “Embrace” it.

Clue 3: Why embrace humility?

When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.
Proverbs 11:2

A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
Proverbs 29:23

By humility and the fear of the lord are riches and honor and life.
Proverbs 22:4

We wear clothes to cover and to protect our body. Similarly clothing ourselves with humility also protects us from shame and disgrace which is brought about by Pride. Pride brings a man down whereas humbleness or humility brings honor. Being humble is also considered Godly wisdom. Humility brings riches and life. God gives Grace to the humble and exalts them. So clothing ourselves with humility not only protects us from shame and disgrace but also brings about honor, riches, grace and exaltation.

So Embrace Humility!!

Treasures uncovered

“Attitude” is an outcome of PRIDE, so is scorn, scoff, rudeness, arrogance and selfishness.

GOD finds a Proud Heart DISGUSTING and He RESISTS it.

Clothe yourself with HUMILITY and not “Attitude / Pride”. Humility brings about grace, honor, riches and exaltation. It is Godly wisdom.

When we achieve something, it is quite natural to say or think ” I am proud of myself”. It is okay to feel so. But this should not lead us to a state where we scoff others, mock them, ridicule them, scorn them, show an attitude and be mean to them. Our life should not revolve around our achievements, our social status, power, authority or financial stability.. Then we tend to become PROUD, narrow-minded and mean. Be grounded and get your life revolve around God and His wisdom. Submit yourselves before God and wear humility.

Prayer:

Father, we submit ourselves before you. Reveal to us if there is hidden pride in any area of our life. Help us to wear humility and be humble in all our ways. Guide us and teach us your wisdom. Help us to be always compassionate to our fellow beings and see them as Children of God. In Jesus name Amen.