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Pride
Pride
Often, in our day, the word, “pride,” is used in various ways as a noun or a verb. One way the word has been used today is a “confidence and self-respect as expressed by members of a group, typically one that has been socially marginalized, on the basis of their shared identity, culture, and experience.”
This definition of the word, “pride” is in stark contrast as it is defined in the Bible. Of the 49 times the word is used in the Bible, it exclusively, every time, conveys an adverse and wicked condition.
“Pride [goeth] before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
“[When] pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly [is] wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)
“The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13)
“A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.”(Proverbs 29:3)
Satan’s nature is one of pride. “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High”. (Isaiah 14:13-14)
Pride is the common denominator between Satan, Adam and Eve and is the first ingredient of sin in our natures. “And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food, and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” (Genesis 3:6)
Eve then began to display the three primary areas of sin and evil in human beings. The lust of the flesh, “And when the woman saw that the tree [was] good for food.” The lust of the eyes, “and that it [was] pleasant to the eyes, and the root of all sin and evil: Pride. “and a tree to be desired to make [one] wise,”
Adam, the “son of God” (Luke 3:38) then disobeyed God, who gave him a perfect life in a perfect world, chose death through sin and rebellion. “For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (I John 2:16)
May we be careful about how we use and think of the word, “pride,” and cognizant of how God defines the word.
So excited to be in Pride Month! Sloth Month seemed to go forever, followed by Gluttony Month but both fit so well into Shelter-in-Place. Does anyone remember whether July is Envy or Lust Month? All I know for sure is that November better be Wrath Month, Righteous Wrath.
Obligatory:
On an unrelated note, but interesting to me, in my hometown, the original public high school’s teams are called the Steelmen, and their mascot looks like this:
Every time I look at that fist symbol, I instead see two steelmen facing each other. Just something about the angles.
What do you think, @juliana?
C.S. Lewis distinguished Pride as the single sin which comes straight from Hell.
Consider the standard pop culture narrative if the Right adopted THE FIST for every cause. The don’t-tread-on-me-snake is self-contained, and warns you against aggression. The FIST is a threat, no?
If I don’t do what you want, you’ll hit me, right?
Excellent observations, James. I can also see “the fool who hath said in his heart, there is no God,” looking up to the sky with cleanched fist.
I don’t know… the word seems to be used with perfect consistency.
If they humbled themselves, they’d have to consider their politics or lifestyles may be wrong. That’s so anti-thetical to them that it will lead to their own destruction. It is through that pride that they claim good is evil and evil good. And in their topsy turvy world, the wrath of God per Romans 1-2 will be upon their heads.
The day of the Lord cometh.
I think “pride” in this context means no shame as a result of rejecting ancient moral referents.
I once knew a very large man (long since deceased) who was incredibly undisciplined in all his appetites. He would pile up slices of roast beef on his cafeteria tray with several slices of pie (and no gratuitous distractions from vegetables) and to anyone who looked askance at his selections he would say “I the kind of guy who likes his roast beef” or pie or bourbon or whatever he happened to be overindulging in the moment. What I found interesting about this formulation he often used was that he seemed to think he was merely being true to his nature. As a member of the class of humans who like roast beef or pie or a great deal of beer, he would be hypocritical or betraying his own nature by not overindulging the appetite of the moment. His appetites defined him and curtailing them in any way would be an affront to his very personhood.
He was probably ahead of his time because the “I’m the kinda guy who” moral calculus now appears to be the norm, especially with respect to sexual desires.
Mea culpa. I confess a certain sympathy for the “very large man.” One very lovable, very close friend of mine drank and smoked himself into an early grave a decade ago. And long ago I could distinguish myself at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Though neither my great friend nor I ever expressed any yen to revise the moral code to accommodate our indulgences. The picture of the very large man with a plate high with slices of roast beef and pie gave me the day’s first smile. God bless Alka-Seltzer.
His god was his belly?
Every month is Sloth Month at my house. I am incurably lazy. It’s my favorite deadly sin, by far.
You know I can name the seven deadly sins, but always leave out two or three Commandments.
Now that you mention it, same here🤣
Idolatry, Adultery, Gluttony, Sneezy, Donner, Blitzen and Doc. Or something.
It’s easier if you just remember Roy G Biv.
What’s Roy G Biv?
Just a silly non sequitur.
Roy G. Biv is a mnemonic for the colors of the rainbow: Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.