It is easy to identify pride in others (by their speech, their body movements, their interactions with people), but it is not easy to recognize pride in one's own life. Sometimes Christians warn others of their sins while sliding on the sands of pride. Pride is not an obvious sin, and you may not see it until you have skinned or bruised your spiritual body. God warns us in Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." One way Satan camouflages pride is by using it as a synonym for 'self-respect.' When discussed in the Bible, pride is a negative trait, not a positive 'self-respect.' True synonyms for pride are vanity, arrogance, haughtiness, and disdain. False humility is also another form of pride, and by depreciating self, God's handiwork is belittled.
How does pride act? It acts out through jealousy, gossip, harshness, criticism, rebellion, ingratitude, lying and anger. Pride causes men and women to compare and measure themselves by others. Our measuring standard should be the Bible. Matthew 5:48, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." 1 Corinthians 11:1, " . . and follow my example as I follow the example of Christ." Since each one of us fails in some way to meet the perfect standard, there is no room left for pride.
How serious is pride in God's sight? Proverbs 16:5, "The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished." (Also read Psalms 101:5, Proverbs 16:18, and Isaiah 2:11-12) Pride can be conquered (Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ Who gives me strength."). The solution begins with asking God's help in seeing and avoiding the sands of pride. It takes continuous examination of one's daily spiritual walk. When pride is conquered in one area of life, it may appear in another place. There is a story about a man who was awarded a button saying, 'The Most Humble Man of the Year.' But it was taken away from him when he wore it because he was proud of being humble.
Finally, here are some steps to take to avoid pride in our lives:
ACKNOWLEDGE your own sinfulness;
RECOGNIZE that all you have or can do comes from God;
PRAISE TO OTHERS for the gifts God has given to them; and
DIE TO SELF! 'I' is the center of 'pr - I - de' both in spelling and in living.
As Christians let us remember we are people of worth in God's sight and the highest of His creation. Let us remember we are the object of God's love in sending Christ to die for our salvation.