PRIDE - GOOD OR BAD?
by Kathy Pegram

What Does the Bible Say about Pride? It says, “To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, even behavior and perverse speech.” Proverbs 8:13

Hannah prayed once, “Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.” (1 Samuel 2:3)

Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” God’s word assures us pride is the root of all the rubble in our lives.

Psalm 10:2-11, further, describes the oppressive result of pride, and a plea to God for justice and defense for those caught in its tailspin.

Let's face it, pride is at the heart of bullying and entitlement. It’s deceptive tendency leaves a wake of destruction. The very nature of human conflict is rooted in elements of pride. Proverbs 13:10 says, “Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”

The enemy of our soul is the one who is behind this sort of evil pridefulness. The devil is a copycat. He has never specialized in originality. He has always seen the value of copying something and confusing the issues. Keep this in mind: if you see a lot of imitations out there, an original exists somewhere in the midst of all the copies. The devil only floods the market with imitations in order to keep people from the one and only true God.

On the other hand, whereas the above mention type of pride is bad, there is also a Godly pricde that is good. Many of the Psalms praise God for His protection, provision, answer to prayer (Psalm 34:1-7), and unfailing love. When all else falters and fades away, He always remains. Thus, we can see that having legitimate Godly pride in our God has nothing to do with the sinful pride.

As a rainbow will always be a sign of God's covenant..... (I refuse to let satan take that from me) I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

You see, my pride is and always will be in the God who gave His only begotten Son. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Now THAT'S something to be proud of!!!

 

Love and Prayers,
Kathy