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

It’s something that rears its head so often in our lives and yet sometimes we are blind to it. Maybe?

Pastor and Author Lou Priolo says that “Pride is the AIDS of the soul … Pride blinds us not only to itself, but to every other sin tucked away in the recesses of our hearts and lives. It causes us to hate correction and reproof. It hides our sin from us, it justifies our sin, it excuses our sin, and it keeps us from repenting of our sin. It deceives us into thinking that we are spiritually well when, in fact, we have a deadly cancer and are in desperate need of the Great Physician’s Balm.”

Puritan preacher, Richard Baxter really lays it out for us: Pride is a deep rooted and self-preserving sin; and therefore is harder to be killed and rooted up than other sins. It hinders the discovery of itself … It will now allow the sinner to see his pride when he is reproved; neither will it allow him to confess if he sees it; nor to loathe himself and forsake it. Even when he recognizes all of the evidence of pride in others, he will not see it in himself. When he feels himself despising reproof, and knows that this is a sign of pride in others, yet he will not know it in himself. If you would go about to cure him of this or any other fault, you shall fee that you are handling a wasp or an adder; yet when he is spitting the venom of pride against the reprove, he does not perceive that he is proud; this venom is a part of his nature and therefore is not felt as harmful or poisonous.

Pastor Priolo suggests several things about deadly pride in our lives:

1. Pride is the delusion that our achievements are primarily the results of our doing.

2. Pride is esteeming ourselves above and beyond the condition and proportion that God has appointed for us.

3. Pride is the desire to be esteemed by others above and beyond the condition that God has appointed for us.

4. Pride is the desire to exult ourselves above and beyond the condition and proportion that God has appointed for us.

In the Valley of Vision – Prayers of the Puritans, I found this prayer regarding pride:

Lord, let not pride swell my heart. My nature is the mire beneath my feet, the dust to which I will return … Help me see myself in Your sight, then pride must wither, decay, die, perish.

Humble my heart before You, and replenish it with Your choicest gifts. As water rests not on barren hill summits, but flows down to fertilize lowest vales, so make me the lowest of the lowly, that my spiritual riches may exceedingly abound.

When I leave duties undone, may condemning thought strip me of pride, deepen me in devotion to Your service, and quicken me to more watchful care.

When I am tempted to think highly of myself, grant me to see the wily power of my spiritual enemy; Help me to stand with wary eye on the watch-tower of faith, and to cling with determined grasp to my humble Lord; If I fall let me hide myself in my Redeemer’s righteousness, and when I escape, may I ascribe all deliverance to Your grace. Keep me humble, meek, lowly. Amen!

Are you struggling with pride today? If so, grab your online concordance and look up verses to help you see God’s perspective on pride. The opposite of pride is humility. Lord, make me more humble today.

Written by Dr. Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: He has been married to his child sweetheart for 40+ years, and has three married kids, one that is engaged, and 10 amazing grand kids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 34; Proverbs 4

Daily Quote: The man who thinks he is too big for a little place is too little for a big place. ~Vance Havner

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18