Pride

I, the LORD, will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their sin. I will crush the arrogance of the proud and humble the pride of the mighty. [Isaiah 13.11]

The second half of this verse should serve to cause great pause in our society today.

Pride is not good. We tend to segregate pride into "good" and "bad" pride, but the Bible gives no justification for doing so. Whether it's national pride, gay pride, parental pride, black pride, white pride, native American pride, or any other pride, pride is something God hates.

Our assessment of pride into "good" or "bad" does not change God's opinion or hatred for pride!

Humility is what God desires of mankind. A broken heart and and contrite spirit are what God will not turn away from. Where we ever came up with the idea that there could even be "good" pride should be obvious. It came from the one whose pride got him cast out of God's presence. Naturally, he wants us to think "good" pride could exist because any pride at all makes us like the fallen father of pride: Satan.

What about the pride that a parent has for their child? Isn't that a good thing? While it may feel good, the foundation of it is one and the same as Satan's pride. To look at my son or daughter with a feeling of pride is not really about my son or daughter, but instead about the fact that they are MY child - "look at MY child!" The same goes for national pride.

We have nothing to be proud of. Any and every good thing in our life comes from God alone. Any pride we have should, if anything, be pride in God - it's called worship. Think of that... But because pride tends to have "self" all over it, even pride in God is a misnomer. We don't "own" God any more than we own our nation to be proud of it - only to thank God for it. We don't "own" our our children to be proud of them - only to thank God for them. Now it is easy to see how our pride is not ours to have but it is God's alone. 

We can have thanksgiving - and it goes to God - and it is good. We can have worship - and it goes to God - and it is good.  But, we should avoid pride, because God hates pride. We should be thankful to God because every good thing comes for Him. We should worship God because He is Supreme Ruler of All.

Father, thank You for clearing up the idea of pride for me today. Help me to give You thanksgiving because everything is from You. And, help me to worship only You because You alone are God. May You have pride in me!