Me, Myself
and PrIde
A Biblical understanding of your own pride and the humble Savior who can deliver you
Section 1 - Seeing pride
Section 2 - Hating pride
Section 3 - Overcoming pride
Worksheets
It is our hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to learn about the seed of every sin in the human heart -- pride.
Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture references are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible ©
Copyright 2010 Emmanuel Baptist Church of Rochester, Minnesota and Kevin Binkley, Rocky Coleman and Jeremy Luman
Why should I do a study on pride? Pride is likely not our first choice for a study because it seems so negative to consider. Maybe, we can study something of more value like the false beliefs of cults, or how the church grew in Acts, or better yet, principles of finance from the Bible, after all, Jesus talked a lot about money! So why pride? Three reasons should justify our study, and now yours.
- Pride is the source of many other sins.
If there was a bacteria that was causing people to be sick, at some point, I would want to stop using all my time treating sick patients, and take the time to understand and stomp out the bacteria causing the infection. Pride is the infection in the human heart that leads to many other ills. Treat the source of the infection, and we can spend less time treating its results.
Pride causes men to lie. Fearing what others may think, and to preserve a perceived reputation, a man may lie.
Pride causes men to brag. Forgetting that everything we have comes form God, men boast forgetting that it is the kindness of God that allows any good gift in our lives.
Pride causes men to steal. Believing that I deserve better than what I have, I will take measures to secure for myself that which is not mine, to fulfill my selfish desires.
Pride causes men to covet, envy, and be jealous. Appreciation for what I have is diminished when I see another who has something more, or something better. Coveting longs for another's supply to be mine, envy is wishing he did not have it, and jealousy is the resentment toward another for his good fortune.
Pride causes many other sins.
Can you think of some sins that are caused by pride?
Can you think of a sin that is not prompted by pride?
- God works against the proud
Christians and churches all over the world labor to fulfill the commands of God as they read and understand them. The ministries of the church generally have something to do with things like evangelism, personal holiness, discipleship, relief of suffering, and so on. The mission of the church I pastor is “to glorify God by making and equipping disciples to know, love and serve Him!” Sounds like a good goal. Men and women are hired, the church staff labors, money is raised and budgeted, people are encouraged and pleaded with to embrace and assist in the fulfillment of the mission.
The mission sounds very God honoring, so God will help us right? God wants the same thing that we want right? God gave us the mission right? Yes, it is all true. Both James and Peter told us (James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5) that God resists the proud. Resists? How does God resist? The word means to arrange ones self against, to oppose, or too resist. It would not be going too far to say that the effectiveness and success of ministry will be diminished if it is approached with a prideful heart. God himself is “against” the proud. It is possible that we could be about the business of God, but with an attitude that God hates and we find our work groping to find success or fruit.
The children of Israel experienced success in their conquest because they depended on God, and when their success went to their heads, when they became proud of who they were and what they had accomplished, they forgot God, and so God himself opposed them. Notice this happening in the prophet Samuel's address to the people:
When Jacob went to Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the LORD, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and settled them in this place. But they forgot the LORD their God, so He handed them over to Sisera commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab. [These enemies] fought against them.
Sounds like God opposed them in their pride.
Praise God, he responds when we confess sin, repent of pride, and turn back to God. 1 Samuel 12:10 continues with the people repenting and God rescuing them.
Can you think of some ways pride could show up in a ministry?
Can you think of some ways God would oppose the proud in the examples you gave above?
- We underestimate the severity of pride.
Jerry Bridges wrote a book titled, Respectable Sins, where he discusses the sins that Christians often overlook in their own lives. Clearly pride could not be excluded from the book. In chapter eleven he writes,
“Of all the characters in the Bible who seem so repugnant to us, probably no one is more so than the self-righteous Pharisee [Luke 18:11]... but the irony is that even as we condemn him, we can easily fall into the same self- righteous attitude.”
Have you experienced this? You are sitting in church listening to a sermon on the parable in Luke 18 and you are thinking, “I sure am glad that I am not like the Pharisee in this story.” The instant we think this, we join the Pharisee in his prideful boast.
Pride can become so prevalent in our lives that it starts to become normal, it begins to seem okay. We stop seeing it as a sin against God and we see it as a normal part of our life.
A person may wake up one morning and notice an usual bump on their body, but they do not go to the doctor. Over time the bump grows, it becomes bigger and looks worse, but the person still does not go to the doctor. By the time the person does go into the doctor the bump is a massive tumor and people wonder why it took so long for this person to seek help. The person does not think the tumor is that bad because they are used to seeing it, dealing with it, and in general looking past it. This happened to my sister and she almost died.
In the same way pride is growing in the church, but instead of seeking treatment we often ignore it. Sometimes, we simply do not see it. One of the goals of this study is to show the seriousness of pride and how much God hates it -- with this knowledge we will then start to seek treatment for the pride in our lives through Jesus Christ.
Can you share a time in your life when you acted like the Pharisee in
Luke 18?
In the previous question, why was it difficult at the time to see that as pride?
Give some examples of the way pride was underestimated in the church?
What is pride?
Pride inclines every man to find pride in others, and to overlook it in himself. Samuel Johnson
We are not commending ourselves to you again, but giving you an opportunity to be proud [good pride]* of us, so that you may have a reply for those who take pride [bad pride]* in the outward appearance rather than in the heart.
Science Daily says the Bible got it wrong!
Science daily says the Bible got it wrong, and that pride does not necessarily go before a fall. The magazine said pride only goes before a fall when it's hubris -- excessive pride that veers into self-aggrandizement and conceit. So is the Bible right or wrong? In both letters to the Corinthians Paul says he is proud of the believers there. (1 Corinthians 15:31, 2 Corinthians 1:14)
The Bible acknowledges both sides of the jagged edged coin of pride, the positive and the negative. Sadly, there is very little “positive” pride. So, the Bible has a lot to say about the negative and destructive prides that lurks in the dark corners of every human heart. Yes, every human heart.
How much of the pride mentioned in the Bible is sinful pride? _______%
Benjamin Franklin said, “there is perhaps no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.” It's true, isn't it?
So, how bad is pride? Where do we see it? What happens because of it? How do I stop thinking and acting and living with prideful thoughts and attitudes? Good questions.
Some things can be good or bad, depending on the situation. A cut from my power saw is a good thing on a piece of wood, but a bad thing on my thumb. A cut from a knife is good thing in surgery, but a bad thing in an alley fight. Gasoline is good thing in my car's gas tank, but a bad thing in my drinking water. As you can imagine, pride is a good thing when directed appropriately, and a bad thing when directed inappropriately. The Bible encourages pride in a few areas, and condemns pride in most.
Good pride from the Bible
Some take pride in a chariot, and others in horses,
but we take pride in the name of the LORD our God.
I have great confidence in you; I have great pride in you. I am filled with encouragement; I am overcome with joy in all our afflictions.
Can you identify some examples of good pride?
The focus throughout the Bible is mainly on the sinful aspect of pride. There are over 100 verses that discuss pride and being proud, out of those verses less than 10 are about good pride. God overwhelmingly wants to share a message about the sinful pride that is present in our lives. The remainder of this study will focus on the sin of pride and how the believer should approach its removal.
What is sinful pride?
Pride can be difficult to define. We could think about selfishness, or arrogance, or self righteousness, or looking down on others, but each of these really is a result of pride, not a definition of it. The focus of this study on pride is not about good pride, but bad pride, the pride that God calls sin. Proverbs 16:5 says “Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Detestable is pretty harsh word, and that is God's view of sinful human pride. We need to distill pride down to its foundation so we can see how it is worked out in our heart, life, and relationships.
Let's break this down.
The emphasis on ones self, or to place emphasis on ones self is not wrong. I place emphasis on my appearance partially for the sake of others. I take a shower, comb my hair, and brush my teeth so I look decent, and so others can stand to be around me. I enjoy certain foods, and when appropriate I may emphasize my choice to eat my favorite foods. I like to sit quietly alone to rest and recharge from time to time. This emphasis on my self is not wrong. I love to teach the word of God and feel the pleasure of God in my life when I teach about Him.
BUT!! What if I do these things to the detriment of God or others? What if I beautify myself to the point where I make others feel inferior? What if I always choose my favorite foods, even when others are involved who do not like them? What if I seclude myself away from others when they legitimately need me? What if I teach so that men will tell me what a good teacher I am? What if I choose my illustrations for teaching based on the response or shock value I will get from using them, rather than on how well they point men to God?
When these things happen, I have taken the appropriate emphasis on my self and elevated it to the detriment of God or others. We will see in every area of pride that God or others are put down as a result of sinful human pride.
What are some ways that emphasis on one's self is appropriate?
What are some ways that emphasis on self could be at God's expense?
What are some ways that emphasis on self could be at others expense?
Assignment #1: Reflection on Pride in your own life
Instructions: Place a check mark next to the following statements that you find true in your own life or draw a line through statements you think are not true.
- Pride limits my ability to see my own errors and sins.
- Pride makes it easier to see the mistakes and sin of others.
- Pride makes me think I am better than others
- Pride makes me a poor listener
- Pride makes me interrupt you to share my thoughts
- Pride makes me question the motives of others
- Pride blocks me from testing my own motives
- Pride makes me assume that I am immune to particular sins
- Pride makes me unable to ask for forgiveness
- Pride makes me sarcastic
- Pride makes me cynical
- Pride makes me lazy by telling me I have done enough already to earn my pay.
- Pride makes me insensitive, because I don't care about your feelings.
- Pride makes me justify the sin in my life, while condemning the same sin in others
- Pride makes me voice my disapproval of others
- Pride makes me think I am a good at what I do
- Pride makes me think I am better than others
- Pride makes me think i am humble for working through this study
- Pride makes me over emphasize “me” in ministry, and underestimate God
- Pride makes me want to have the last word
- Pride makes me compare myself with others
- Pride makes me control the people around me
- Pride makes me justify my own action while criticizing the actions of others
- Pride makes me not want to do what I am told
- Pride makes me like my ideas
- Pride makes me value what I do more than others
- Prides makes me value what I say more than others
- Pride makes me not want to wear my seat belt
- Pride makes me think that laws do not apply to me
- Pride makes me ashamed to share the gospel
- Pride is something that God loves
- Pride makes me more concerned about how I am perceived, than how I really am.
- Pride makes me dress to impress others
- Pride makes me pimp my ride
- Pride makes me talk about things that interest me and not others
- Pride makes me disagree with others before I have heard them out
- Pride makes me overestimate my own skill
- Pride makes me underestimate the skill of others
- Pride makes me think someone may think more of my study on pride.
- Pride makes me think I can lead worship better than another.
- Pride makes me think I can preach better than another.
- Pride makes me think I can teach better than others
- Pride make me pity myself
- Pride makes me think I am not able to teach
- Pride makes me think I am not able to serve
- Pride makes me think I deserve credit I have not earned
- Pride makes me think that I am too good to do certain jobs or tasks
- Pride makes me harm relationships
- Pride makes me unwilling give
- Pride makes me isolate myself from others
- Pride makes me think I cannot do better
- Pride is okay if I am not a Christian
- Pride makes me unwilling to ask for help
- Pride makes me jealous of others
- Pride makes me envious of others
- Pride makes me avoid correction
- Pride makes me unteachable
- Pride makes me flaunt my knowledge
- Pride makes me make me a poor witness
- Pride makes me unwilling to witness
- Pride makes me angry
- Pride makes me bitter
- Pride makes me selfish
- Pride makes me take credit for God's work
- Pride makes me take credit for the work of others
- Pride makes me find my security in myself
- Pride makes me overestimate my worth as a person
- Pride makes me underestimate my worth as a person
- Pride makes me look down on others
- Pride makes me say I am not proud, I am just honest
- Pride makes me sick!
Assignment #2: Homework
Throughout the next week keep a written list of times that you see pride in your own life. Be prepared to share between several instances that you saw sinful pride evident in your life.
| Others | God |
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Pride against others and God
Pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick but the one who has it. Buddy Robinson
Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly of spirit with the humble than to divide plunder with the proud.
Review
- Turn back to assignment #2. Look through the list that you wrote throughout the week. You may have done this already but look through your list and determine if your act of pride was against another person or against God. Place a check mark in the appropriate category.
- Fill in the blank:
Definition: Pride -- __________ on one's self at the __________ of ______ or ________.
- Were you surprised by the pride in your own life from Assignment #1? How? and Why?
- Do you struggle more with pride against God or others?
- What are some of the destructive results of pride?
The story is told of two ducks and a frog who lived happily together in a farm pond. The best of friends, the three would amuse themselves and play together in their waterhole. When the hot summer days came, however, the pond began to dry up, and soon it was evident they would have to move. This was no problem for the ducks, who could easily fly to another pond. But the frog was stuck. So it was decided that they would put a stick in the bill of each duck that the frog could hang onto with his mouth as they flew to another pond. The plan worked well--so well, in fact, that as they were flying along a farmer looked up in admiration and mused, "Well, isn't that a clever idea! I wonder who thought of it?" The frog said, "I diiiiddddd..." Today in the Word, April, 1989, p. 34.
What if it this story was not about two ducks and a frog? What if was about Jennifer, Sally and George? They discussed the recent success of the VBS program. The number of children was higher than ever, more people from the church volunteered their time and effort than years past, and as a result a number of new families have started attending the church. Jennifer comments, “I wonder why everything went so well?” George responds back, “Sally and I worked really hard on this year's VBS. We used that new Pathway material, we raised a lot of extra money for advertising, and the magician was just awesome with the kids. We just plain had a lot of good ideas!”
We often think these kinds of thoughts. The problem with saying or thinking these thoughts is that it is extremely prideful. When we open our mouths to take the credit for what God has accomplished we will crash.
Jennifer, Sally and George should be thankful for the amazing things that God did through VBS, instead their pride has blinded them from seeing His work, and caused them to focus on themselves.
How could this act of pride effect the next VBS?
Can you name some other examples of taking inappropriate credit?
What would it look like to replay the above story with God getting the credit?
I am Yahweh, that is My name;
I will not give My glory to another,
or my praise to idols.
What does it mean that God will not give his glory to another?
God is very concerned about who gets the credit for what He (God) does and is doing. The verses around Isaiah 42 says things like, “I strengthen him, I chose him, I made the heavens, I spread out the earth, I give breath to people, I will keep you [his people], I brought the events of the past, and I will tell you what is going to happen.” In the setting of this great list of all God says he does, he declares that no one else will be allowed to take the credit. When we take credit for what God does, our pride is against God.
The Bible includes a number of ways that we can have pride against God.
Pride against God
According to the verses listed below, find the word that best completes each statement:
- Taking credit for what God has ______.
| Isaiah 42:8 | I am Yahweh, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, or my praise to idols. |
| Ezekiel 28:17 | Your heart became proud because of your beauty;
For the sake of your splendor
you corrupted your wisdom.
So I threw you down to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings. |
- Not ____________ to God
| Jeremiah 13:15 | Listen and pay attention. Do not be proud,
for the LORD has spoken. |
| Jeremiah 13:17 | But if you will not listen,
my innermost being will weep in secret
because of your pride. |
- Taking pride in _____________
| Psalm 20:7 | Some take pride in a chariot, and others in horses,
but we take pride in the name of the LORD our God. |
| Ezekiel 24:21 | Say to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord GOD says: I am about to desecrate My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the desire of your heart. |
- Not ____________ to God's discipline
| Leviticus 26:18-20 | But if after these things you will not obey Me, I will proceed to discipline you seven times for your sins. I will break down your strong pride. I will make your sky like iron and your land like bronze, and your strength will be used up for nothing. Your land will not yield its pro duce, and the trees of the land will not bear their fruit. |
- Not _________ or _________ the Lord
| Isaiah 2:11 | Human pride will be humbled,
and the loftiness of men will be brought low;
the LORD alone will be exalted on that day. |
- Not _________ God
| Psalm 40:4 | How happy is the man
who has put his trust in the LORD
and has not turned to the proud
or to those who run after lies! |
- Not ________ in the Lord
| Psalm 131:1-3 | LORD, my heart is not proud;
my eyes are not haughty.
I do not get involved with things
too great or too difficult for me.
Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself
like a little weaned child with its mother;
I am like a little child.
Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
both now and forever. |
Answers: 1. done 2. listening 3. possessions 4. responding 5. worshipping or exalting 6. trusting 7. hoping
God is also very concerned that we are not prideful against others. Matthew 22:36-39 says "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
If we obey the two great commandments, we are to love God and we are to love our neighbor. We cannot love God and be prideful against Him, and we cannot love our neighbor while displaying pride before or against them. Pride against others is forbidden a number of different ways in the Bible.
Pride Against Others
See if you can fill in the blank from the verses given.
- Shows ____________
Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the saying: "Nothing beyond what is written." The purpose is that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor of one person over another.
- Desires __________ more than love
Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.
- Boasts about my _____________
Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. Because everything that belongs to the world-- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one's life style--is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God's will remains forever.
- ____ to them
Let lying lips be quieted;
they speak arrogantly against the righteous
with pride and contempt.
- ___________ their sin
And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from among you.
- Boasts about _________ , _________ and _________ .
This is what the LORD says:
The wise must not boast in his wisdom;
the mighty must not boast in his might;
the rich must not boast in his riches.
But the one who boasts should boast in this,
that he understands and knows Me --
that I am the LORD, showing faithful love,
justice, and righteousness on the earth,
for I delight in these things.
[This is] the LORD's declaration.
- Refuses to associate with the _________
Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
- Has a __________ nature
Be in agreement with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation.
Answers: 1) favoritism 2) knowledge 3) lifestyle 4) lies 5) condones 6) knowledge, strength, riches 7) humble 8) disagreeable
Assignments
Go back to Assignment #1 and circle the areas that you are most likely to have pride against God.
Go back to Assignment #1 and circle the areas that you are most likely to struggle with pride against others.
What action step can you take to overcome pride against God?
What action step can you take to overcome pride against others?
God hates pride
A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you're looking down, you can't see something that's above you. C.S. Lewis
To fear the Lord, is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.
On the scale below place an X on how much pride you see in your life:
As a small child I can remember a few times when I was offered a new type of food. I would take the food and eat it, many times thinking that it was really good. A one occasion after a couple bites into something I was told that there was broccoli in the dish -- immediately I no longer wanted to eat the food. At the time I hated broccoli and would not eat it. This new dish may have tasted good to me, but it had something in it that I hated. Once I became aware of the real ingredients, the dish no longer appealed to me.
In our lives we should have the same reaction to pride. This lesson is going to show how much God hates pride and look at the results of pride in our lives. As we become aware of how pride is evident in our lives we should seek to remove it, much like I avoided certain foods as a child when I became aware of its content.
Share a time when you worked to remove something from your own life because you hated it, or wanted it gone?
Was this difficult or easy to remove? Why?
The Bible is very clear that God hates pride and will work against the proud to humble them. As we grow deeper in our relationship to Christ we should become more aware of the areas of our life that are not acceptable to Him. The Christian should understand how God feels about pride, and seek to have the same attitude.
The highest virtue is humility, (submission to God), and thus wisdom hates pride and self exaltation above all. MacArthur study bible, page 887.
Below are two verses that discuss God’s opinion of pride, read the verses below, and then in the following exercise, write out the results of pride.
| Proverbs 8:13 | To fear the Lord, is to hate evil. I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech. |
| Amos 6:8 | I loathe Jacob's pride and hate his citadels, so I will hand over the city and everything in it. |
Read the verses below and then write out the results of pride.
| 2 Samuel 22:28 | You rescue an afflicted people, but Your eyes are set against the proud-- You humble them. |
| | |
| Proverbs 16:5 | Everyone with a proud heart is detestable to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished. |
| | |
| Isaiah 2:11 | Human pride will be humbled, and the loftiness of men will be brought low; the LORD alone will be exalted on that day. |
| | |
| Luke 1:51 | He has done a mighty deed with His arm;
He has scattered the proud
because of the thoughts of their hearts; |
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| Job 10:16 | If I am proud, You hunt me like a lion
and again display Your miraculous power against me. |
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| Proverbs 15:25 | The LORD destroys the house of the proud. |
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| James 4:6 | God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. |
| | |
Why does God hate pride so much?
What would it look like to have the mind of God in how we view pride in our own lives?
The purpose of this lesson was to look at how God hates pride and how He works against the proud. The verses listed above are only a small sampling of the Scripture that speaks to sinful pride. In the next lesson we will look at four stories from the Bible that show how God worked specifically against the pride of His own people.
Now that you have completed this lesson, place an X on the above scale again.
Is this spot the same place as before?
What is one action you could take to move your X toward greater humility?
God works against the proud
Pride places an inflated importance to the elevation one's status in the eyes of others. Shame is fear of humiliation at one's inferior status in the estimation of others. When one sets his heart on being highly esteemed, then he is automatically involved in fear of losing his status. Lao Tzu
And all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
This fall I went to clear the leaves out of the grass and gutters around the church. I was using a gas powered leaf blower to get the leafs away from fences, buildings and out of the gutters. Usually this works really well but this time it seemed like there was not enough power. After quite sometime working to get the leaves moved I decided to look and see if something was blocking the air flow. When I took the tubing apart I found the owner's manual for the leaf blower rolled up inside! The whole time I was trying to move the leaves with diminished or blocked power! When I removed the owner's manual from the air tube, I restarted the leaf blower again and was amazed at it's power.
Working in ministry while being prideful is a lot like trying to blow leaves while something is blocking the tubes. We can labor and struggle, the whole time wondering why we are not getting anywhere. Pride is blocking the power of God working through us in our ministry. We need to stop, check ourselves for pride, remove it, and then continue the work in the full power of the Lord.
This lesson is going to look at four examples from the Bible to show how God worked against the proud person who was trying to serve Him.
Exercise: Divide into 4 groups. Each group take one of the following stories. Read the story together. Then answer the questions that follow. After 20-30 minutes we will gather back as a group and discuss the answers that each group discussed about their text.
- Numbers 16:1-33 - Pride against Moses
What is the basic outline of the story?
How is pride evident in this story?
How did God work against the proud in this story?
What principle can be applied to our lives from this story?
- 2 Kings 20:12-19 - Hezekiah's Pride
What is the basic outline of the story?
How is pride evident in this story?
How did God work against the proud in this story?
What principle can be applied to our lives from this story?
- Daniel 4:30-34,5:20 - Nebuchadnezzar's Pride
What is the basic outline of the story?
How is pride evident in this story?
How did God work against the proud in this story?
What principle can be applied to our lives from this story?
- Acts 5:1-11 - Ananias and Sapphira's Pride
What is the basic outline of the story?
How is pride evident in this story?
How did God work against the proud in this story?
What principle can be applied to our lives from this story?
Now that you have seen examples from the Bible of God working against the proud, take some time to write your own story. This story can either be a personal example from your own life or a modern day example of how God worked against a prideful person in ministry.
Principles to remove pride
Just when we think we've finished off pride, just when we turn to accept the congratulations of the crowd, pride stabs us in the back. We should never consider pride dead before we are. Craig Brian Larson
Instead, you should say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
For this lesson go to the back of the book and tear out "Principles to Remove Pride" from the worksheets.
Pride is not pretty. It exists in the human heart and flares up when we least expect it, and sometimes when we expect it.
I was remodeling a garage that had a floor heat system in it. Hot water pumped through plastic tubes imbedded in the concrete floor transfered heat into the concrete to heat the room. The water is usually heated with a boiler that has a totally enclosed chamber for the fire used to heat the water. But, this garage was being heated with a water heater that had an open pilot light for a source of ignition-- in other word, an ever present open flame. When the local building code inspectors came to the site, they requested that the water heater be removed because it posed a fire hazard. Their reason was that garages often contain flammable liquids like paint thinners and gasoline. If any of these liquids were ever to spill, and not be contained, the ever burning pilot light would send the garage immediately into flames. It was disappointing to have to remove the pilot style water heater, and buy a more expensive unit, but the logic seemed reasonable.
So it is with pride in the human heart. The source of ignition is ever present. The flame to fuel pride into an explosion is always present. Circumstances spill into our lives and they are ignited by the pilot light of pride in the heart. So, we have two ways to reduce the devastating outbreaks of pride in our lives. One is to reduce the already burning flame of pride in the human heart, and second is to be aware of what fuels it in our lives. Reducing the fuel is the focus of week 5, as we look at how to destroy pride. Reducing the flame is the focus of week 6 as we look at growing in humility.
Reducing the fuel of pride
Fuel feeds a fire. Take away the fuel, and the fire dies down. The following verses from scripture address ways to diminish pride, to slow it down, to smother it out. We have limited our study to only the verses we found that actually contrast pride and action.
- Pay attention and listen to God's words
Listen and pay attention. Do not be proud, for the Lord has spoken.
What are some ways to listen and pay attention to God?
- Read the word
- Listen to preaching
- Memorize scripture
- Confess sin
- Listen to the Spirit
- __________________________________
- __________________________________
- __________________________________
- __________________________________
- __________________________________
- Trust less in self
How happy is the man who has put his trust in the Lord and has not turned to the proud or to those who run after lies!
What does it look like to trust in self instead of God?
How can you intentionally trust in God?
- Acknowledge your need for God's help
- Trust first in God, then men and self
- Submit to God before planning
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- __________________________________
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- Remember God's actions
[be careful] that your heart doesn't become proud and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.
How can you intentionally remember God's works?
- Talk about the work of the Lord
- Remind each other about the work of the Lord
- See the hand of God in every component of life
- __________________________________
- __________________________________
What are some of the works of God in your life you should remember?
- Talk about the work of the Lord
- Remind each other about the work of the Lord
- See the hand of God in every component of life
- __________________________________
- __________________________________
- Associate wisely
Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble.
About this verse, commentator Adam Clarke says, “Be a companion of the humble, and pass through life with as little noise and show as possible” (Clarke, p. 141) The meaning for associate is simply “to go along with.”
How do associations help to increase or decrease pride?
What are some ways we can do this?
- Associate with other humble people
- Associate with the less fortunate
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- __________________________________
- __________________________________
- Practice patience
a patient spirit is better than a proud spirit.
Impatience contradicts the spirit of pride because it is an anxious focus on what I want or think I need. Some things just take time, and God's timing is always right.
Practicing patience helps take away the fuel that feeds pride.
How can you practice patience?
Where do you struggle with patience?
- Speak cautiously
Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by Him.
What do arrogant words sound like?
The one who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble. The proud and arrogant person, named "Mocker," acts with excessive pride.
Mocking is to treat others with contempt, or to ridicule.
How is mocking others related to pride?
How can we fulfill the teaching of the above verses?
- Ask for others to provide accountability
- Intentionally ponder how you speak as well as what you say
- Refuse to mock others
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P-TRAPS
We have looked at some principles that help to stop or trap pride. They follow the acronym P-TRAPS. See if you can remember the traps for pride and fill in the following blanks without looking.
P-__________________________
T-__________________________
R-__________________________
A-__________________________
P-__________________________
S-__________________________
Working on the Pride-traps helps to take the fuel of pride out of our lives. Next week, we will look at reducing the flame in my heart that ignites pride by looking at ways to grow in humility. As humility increases, pride has an ever smaller flame to fuel the fire.
Growing in humility
Temper is what gets most of us into trouble. Pride is what keeps us there. Anonymous
Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.
For this lesson go to the back and tear out section "Weakening Pride, Strengthening Humility" from the worksheets.
Last week we talked about reducing the fuel of pride on the ever present flame that burns within the human heart. The flame of pride in my heart is always ready to fuel the circumstances that lead me to pride. Growing in humility reduces the flame. As humility increases, pride and the situations that foster it have an ever lessening grip on me. Today, we are going to look at how to reduce the flame of pride by growing in humility.
We spent most of the first four chapters looking at pride and its dangers. For this chapter, we draw our attention to the verses in the bible that speak about humility. With only a brief study of these verses, it is clear that the pathway to humility is twofold -- we humble ourselves, and God humbles us.
We humble ourselves:
James 4:10 says, “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord,” and 1 Peter 5:6 says “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God.” These verses clearly say that a man bears the responsibility for his efforts at humility.
God humbles us:
In Deuteronomy 8:2, Moses said, “God led you on the entire journey these 40 years in the wilderness, so that He might humble you...” Likewise, in Daniel 4:37 we are told that God is able to humble those who walk in pride. Not only is God able to humble men, but the record of the word of God shows repeatedly that he is willing and able.
These two pathways run parallel like the tracks of a train. One track is God humbling, and the other track is self humbling. Like the journey which is our life, the beginning and the end is unseen, and belongs to God. But as we look into the future, the tracks come together as God's purpose of sanctification is accomplished. The efforts of God and self come together to burn away the pride in a man, and train his heart to be ever increasingly humble. Some of you are saying, “Hey, wait a minute, my effort and God's come together? Sound's like God needs my help in this. That makes me uncomfortable.” Good point! We are not saying that God needs our help to get the job done, we are only saying that in the Bible men are commanded to humble themselves, and God is recorded as humbling men. If we apply effort to increase humility, and if we know that God works to humble men, in the end, we are only cooperating with what God intends to accomplish.
Growing in humility is a life long pursuit. C.J. Mahaney in his book Humility: True Greatness said, “there are lots of ways to work on humility, but most important, even if you have to make up own list, do have a plan.”
Look at the following examples from the Bible about how humbling happens.
Deuteronomy 8:1-3 - God humbled Israel
“so that He might humble you” (v. 2b)
1 Kings 21:17-28 - God humbles Ahab
“When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth over his body, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around subdued.” (v. 27)
2 Chronicles 33:10-17 - God humbles Manasseh
“When he was in distress, he sought the favor of the LORD his God and earnestly humbled himself” (v. 12a)
Ezra 8:21-23 - Ezra humbles himself
“so that we might humble ourselves before our God” (v. 21)
Psalm 35:9-18 - David humbles himself
“I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer was genuine.” (v. 13)
Daniel 10:2-12 - Daniel humbles himself
“you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God,” (v. 12)
1 Corinthians 4:6-13 - Paul's example of humility
“I have applied these things to myself” (v. 6)
Philippians 2:1-11 - Christ humbles himself
“He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death--even to death on a cross.” (v. 8)
Who is humility towards?
The primary exercise of humility is towards God, and the secondary exercise is towards others. This sounds a lot like lesson from week 2 where pride can be against God or others. In the same way, humility before God will lead to humility before others. Humility requires us to feel that in God's sight we have no merit on our own, and it encourages us to “prefer others to ourselves.” (Romans 12:10 KJV). Humility requires us to express a spirit of willingness and obedience to God, and a willingness to cooperate with others. Humility is a lack of resistance to God's dealings with us, and an intentional effort to not be difficult and obstinate with others. Refresh your memory of our definition of pride, then read the definition for humility from Humility: True Greatness.
Humility -- honestly assessing ourselves in light of God's holiness and our sinfulness. C. J. MaHaney
What is not humility?
- Humility is not humiliation.
- Humility is not timidity.
- Humility is not weakness.
- Humility is not self-deprecating.
- Humility is not ignoring responsibility.
- Humility is not ignoring an accomplishment.
Weakening pride, strengthening humility
- Reflect on the cross
Martyn Lloyd Jones said, “There is one thing that crushes me to the ground and humiliates me to the dust, and that is too look at the son of God and to contemplate the cross.”
Stott- “Every time I look at the cross, Christ seems to say I am here because of you, I am bearing your sin, and I am dying your death.”
Carl Henry-- “You cannot be arrogant when you stand next to the cross.When we reflect on the cross, we are best able to assess our selves in light of God's holiness.”
- Confessing sin
- Repenting of sin
- Mourning over sin
Do you have any personal reflections about the cross?
- Admit your need of God
R. C. Sproul said, “... the difference between a human being and a supreme being is that, ‘Apart from God, I cannot exist. Apart from me, God does exist.’”
Matthew Henry said, “I am what I am, God says, I am that I am.”
How do you admit your need for God? Simply saying so may be an indication. But, it might not. My actions towards God may do more to indicate my need.
- Talk to God
- Fast for God
- Study the attributes of God
- Worship God
Why can it be hard for even believers to live “needing God?”
- Thank God
Michael Ramsey said, “Thankfulness is a soil in which pride does not easily grow.”
True thankfulness to God includes being thankful for everything, good and bad.
It is saying, “blessed be the name of the Lord when there is pain in the offering.”
Notice how the lyrics encourage thankfulness in all situations.
Blessed Be Your Name
In what kinds of situations is it hard for you to be thankful?
How could you learn to be more thankful?
- Memorize needed truth
Here in Minnesota the temperatures occasionally get a little chilly. On more than one occasion I had icicles hanging off my face. Because of the dangers of the cold, many Northern residents (would they be whitenecks?) have had to carry winter survival kits in their cars. Businesses sell winter survival kits which include items to survive in the cold, ready when they are needed, to assure safety and well being.
Memorizing scripture provides a safety kit when you encounter temptation. You might call scripture memory a “spiritual survival kit,” packing your mind full of verses to warm your thoughts with God's truth when the enemy whispers his lies. The enemy tells you you're not being notice, or not getting credit, or deserve more attention, or worst of all, that you might not get your way. So many scriptures can rescue us from the icy results of pride, and bring us into the warmth of God's will. Find the scripture that you need to survive, and commit it to memory. Some examples might be:
The heart is more deceitful than anything else and desperately sick--who can understand it? I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve.
And He told them: "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God's sight.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.
My hand made all these things, and so they all came into being. [This is] the Lord's declaration. I will look favorably on this kind of person: one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and who trembles at My word.
But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Can you share a time when having a scripture in memory helped you to survive?
- Stop worrying
It is a humble person who is able to trust another person and give up the control we often seek to secure our goals and agendas. A discerning person will place their trust in a dependable person. God is the most dependable place for us to pace our trust. He has a perfect track record, and plans to be undefeated. The verse which says to cast all your care on him is very common, but often we miss the preceding phrase, “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord.”
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, because He cares about you.
Someone said, don't worry about things you can't change because you can't change them. Don't worry about things you can change, because you can change them. So what should we do with the things we can't change, or fear? Answer: Cast them on the Lord, because he cares, and because it is the humble thing to do.
Ed Welch write of the challenge for believers to really rest in the care of the Lord. He fears too often Christians are fearful or stressed, so they are looking for God to rescue them. They may pray quickly, open the Bible and look for a verse to help them, and only find their fears continue. Ed writes that consistent with our culture, we may looking merely for a “pill” to take away the fear, and not a relationship where I am fully trusting in God. We need to build into our lives an attitude of trust in God so pervasive, that worrying starts to seem silly and unnecessary.
What is one thing you can do to trust more fully in God's care for you?
- Take opportunities to be humble
Practice does not make perfect, but it does make us better for it. Notice situations where you could exercise humility, and plan to do so with a good attitude. Jesus embraced the place of ultimate humility, the cross, for the joy anticipated therein. (Hebrews 12:2) There is likely to be more joy on the road to humility than on any other path. God will see to that.
What is a current situation where you could take the path of humility?
| Monday |
Remind yourself of some of the actions that help to remove by reading over the following list. After each action, write out one way that you could do it.
Pay attention to God's Word
Trust less in self
Remember God's actions
Associate wisely
Practice patience
Speak with caution
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| Tuesday |
Re-read yesterdays list, and choose one of the actions that you wrote to intentionally work on today.
Today, I will work on __________________________
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| Wednesday |
Fill in the missing words in the following list
P__________ to God's words
T__________ less in self
R__________ God's actions
A__________ wisely
P__________ patience
S__________ with caution
Write out several of God's actions towards you that show his greatness. These actions of God should make magnify him, and discourage pride.
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________
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| Thursday |
Fill in the missing words from the list without looking at previous answers.
__________ to God's words
__________ less in self
__________ God's actions
__________ wisely
__________ patience
__________ with caution
Write one specific way you can practice patience today, and work on that today. _______________________
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| Friday |
Fill in the missing words from the list without looking at previous answers.
__________ to God's words
__________ less in self
__________ God's actions
__________ wisely
__________ patience
__________ with caution
Plan one specific association that will help you practice humility. What is your plan?_____________________
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| Saturday |
Fill missing pride destroying actions using only the first letter as a reminder
P ________________________
T ________________________
R ________________________
A ________________________
P ________________________
S ________________________
Can you think of any of your recent speech that may have been prideful or boastful?
Yes? Confess that as sin, ask God to help you do better.
No? Wonderful! Keep up the good work!
Plan to be mindful all day today and Sunday to guard your speech from statements that are prideful.
|
- ________ on the cross
Share some personal reflections about reflecting on the cross?
- _________ your need of God
Why can it be hard for even believers to live “needing God?”
- _________ God
In what kinds of situations is it hard for you to be thankful?
How could you learn to be more thankful?
- _________ needed truth
Can you share a time when having Scripture in memory helped you to survive?
- _________ worrying
What is one thing you can do to trust more fully in God's care for you?
- _________ opportunities to be humble
What is a current situation where you could take the path of humility?