Pride

Pride: The Bottom of All Great Mistakes

Pride is everywhere. It is the root of many human ills and weaknesses.

Pride masquerades as charity. "Charity feeds the poor, so does pride; charity builds a hospital, so does pride. In this they differ, charity gives her glory to God, pride takes her glory from man." -Quarles

Pride wants to look good rather than be good. Adding pride to service changes "selfless service" to "self-service."

Pride pretends to be humble. Pride is the darling sin that apes humility. "None have more pride than those who dream they have none. You may labor against vainglory till you conceive that you are humble, and the fond conceit of your humility will prove to be pride in full bloom." -Spurgeon

Pride is competitive. "Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man ... It is the comparison that makes you proud; the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone." -C.S. Lewis

Pride is not easily taught. A proud person won't admit a mistake. A proud person does not like to be wrong. The proud do not receive correction easily. "Pride is increased by ignorance; those assume the most who know the least." -Gay

Pride takes people into debt. The proud want today's pleasures on tomorrow's labors. The proud live beyond their means.

Pride is ungrateful. "A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves." -Beecher

Pride holds grudges. Pride nurses hurts. It is easily offended and is slow to forgive. Healing waits while pride exacts its due.

Pride elevates self and diminishes others. "The disesteem and contempt of others is inseparable from pride. It is hardly possible to overvalue oneself but by undervaluing our neighbors." -Claredon

Pride is disobedient. "Disobedience is a prideful struggle against someone in authority over us. A proud person hates that there is someone over him. He thinks this lowers his position." -Ezra Taft Benson

Pride is contentious. Pride justifies, fights, argues, abuses and rebels. Being "right" is the kindling that starts the flame of anger.

Pride inspires envy. "Pride loves no man and is beloved by none. It is the friend of the flatterer, the mother of envy, the nurse of fury ... It hates superiors, scorns inferiors and owns no equal ... Pride defeats its own end, by bringing man who seeks esteem and reverence, into contempt." -Bolingbrooke

Pride drives a wedge between people. "There is a diabolical trio existing in the natural man, implacable, inextinguishable ... pride, envy and hate. Pride makes us fancy we deserve all the goods that others possess, envy that some should be admired while we are overlooked, and hate, because all that is bestowed on others, diminishes the sum we think is due ourselves." -Colton

Pride is selfish. Pride seeks after power, glory and money. Once this is obtained then conceit, boastfulness, arrogance and haughtiness quickly follow. The proud find pride in others and do not recognize it in themselves. Pride is the self in self-fulfillment, self-gratification and self-seeking.

Pride lashes out against the more fortunate. The proud find fault, gossip and backbite. The proud covet. They are jealous and envious. They disparage another's virtues. They withhold praise, gratitude and encouragement that might lift another. The proud think, "If you are a success, then I am a failure."

Pride comes between man and God. The proud cannot accept God's authority to direct their lives. They dislike any bridle other than their own over their desires, appetites and passions. "The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren't interested in changing their opinions to agree with God ... The proud stand more in fear of man's judgments than God's judgments." -Ezra Taft Benson

Pride is blind. Spiritual pride is deadly. Man thinks he is close to God when in reality he is far away and doesn't know it. It is like being lost and not knowing it. There is no awareness of the need to search for a better way. "Pride is a vice, which pride itself inclines every man to find in others, and to overlook in himself." -Johnson

Pride is everywhere. Pride's foundation is built on achievement, talent, beauty, intellect, power and wealth. Its seduction comes from recognition, praise and approval of others. Pride is the Achilles heel of an otherwise well-lived life.

Pride is everywhere. It lives in huts as well as mansions - sometimes it is too close to home. "I have been more and more convinced, the more I think about it, that, in general, pride is at the bottom of all great mistakes." -Ruskin

Copyright 2009 by Val Farmer