Pride is a dangerous and destructive character trait that God strongly warns against. It can manifest in many ways, but it often begins when a person makes perverted comparisons, elevating themselves above others, and feeling superior to others. Pride can lead to many other sins and God says that pride leads to destruction (Proverbs 11:2; 17:19; 18:12), which is a product of sin.
When one permits pride to consume them, it often leads to the development of prejudice. As a result, both pride and prejudice go hand in hand. To make matters worse, when left unchecked they can quickly evolve into full-blown internal conflicts that manifest as emotional disorders. By recognizing these potential hazards before they become entrenched issues, we are better equipped to defeat the mental discord that stems from allowing our prideful emotions to take control.
Another harmful outcome of pride is intellectual arrogance, which results in an inability to learn from one’s own experiences or those of others. It also breeds hatred of criticism and disdain for others. The more prominent the pride, the more dangerous the consequences to relationships, whether in a marriage, partnership, or politics. It is a leading cause of conflict between couples, within companies, or between nations.
In America, there are few rewards for modesty and moderation. The big rewards go to the arrogant, and as a result, we have created a competitive and violent society that thrives on a proud attitude, particularly evident in entertainment, particularly in movies.
Pride has its roots in a sense or feeling of strength, wealth, prosperity, or accomplishment. Sometimes these things are imagined, and sometimes they are real, but whatever the case, misplaced confidence in oneself arises, producing a “better than” feeling. The perverted comparison emerges.
It is essential to understand that having confidence in one’s ability to perform something is not wrong. However, the ability to do something does not make a person intrinsically better than another. All that the individual has done is to develop a skill that they already had a latent ability to perform. In the eyes of God, that talent does not make one better than another. Skill is good, even great, and we should strive to develop them, but always understand that they do not intrinsically equate with “better than.” If we fail to understand this, our comparisons are on their way to becoming perverted.
Proverbs 16:18 states that pride often leads to one’s downfall and that a haughty spirit can precede a fall. The verse suggests that humility is a better attitude to have.
Proverbs 16:19 reinforces this idea, stating that it is better to be humble and associate with the humble, rather than being proud and seeking to gain power and wealth at the expense of others. Together, these verses caution against the dangers of pride and promote the virtue of humility.
