One of the severe ordeals of the Christian is the conquering of
the love of the spirit of worldliness under the leadership of
pride. Worldly pride challenges faith in God and obedience to
Him, and only those who are of good courage and full of
confidence in the Lord can overcome this giant. It is necessary,
too, that the victory should be made complete—that pride should
be thoroughly humiliated, killed, so that it can never rise up
again to destroy us. It is an individual battle, and the only
proper armament against this giant is a stone from the brook,
the message of the Lord, showing us what is pleasing and
acceptable in His sight, and assuring us that he that humbles
himself shall be exalted and he that exalts himself shall be
abased. As the poet has expressed it:
"Where boasting ends, true dignity begins."
Pride is exaggerated self-esteem. It may manifest itself in an overweening self-respect and self-confidence as well as in self-satisfaction and self-exaltation. The one who is proud in heart loves these qualities in himself, though he invariably despises them in others. Such a spirit leads one to contempt for others. It is one of the most dangerous characteristics to a Christian. It unfits one for every good word and work. It estranges one from God, Christ and his fellows. God cannot use such for His purposes. Knowing their wicked hearts, He resists them and thrusts them aside, and when they prove incorrigible completely, He rejects and abhors them.
1 Sam. 2:3; Psa. 10:2-7, 11; Prov. 3:32; 6:16-19; 11:20; 12:22; 15:8, 9, 26; 21:27; 24:9; 28:9; 29:27; Jer. 9:23, 24; 13:15; Mark 7:21, 22; 2 Tim. 3:2; Jas. 4:6; 1 John 2:16.
