Pride

Ego and pride go hand-in-hand. We each have an ego. It’s part of our human formation and helps us to develop self-esteem. Gone too far, though, ego can lead to an exaggerated sense of self-importance.

I’m not going to lie, I have a hard time writing this blog because I despise pride so deeply. Yet, at the same time I feel led to write this blog because I’ve seen, heard, and watched pride’s nastiness in humans first hand so much in many years, but more-so in the last few years.

Some people say pride is a good thing. That may be true to some degree, but more often than not, from what I’ve seen, pride leads to an exaggerated attitude in people; a big head (blown-up version of themselves), people you can’t tell anything to because they’re always right in some twisted form of words or actions, and people that brag about or one-up others with stories or in actions.

Man, I’m already fired up just writing this because it makes me so stinking mad people can be so naïve to how slyly pride works and they don’t even SEE it. Or, maybe they do see it but don’t want to deal with their own pride by laying it down and becoming humble. I mean, it IS hard work to change for the better.

Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before a fall.” I remember this statement, a biblical passage, when I feel that people don’t, and dare I say maybe even won’t, see the issue at hand. In the bible, pride is talked about often. I believe Papa God knew that pride would be a very common issue in this world…and that’s why it’s talked about and mentioned so many times within its pages. Just my own personal opinion.

I hope in my writing this blog it doesn’t tick people off, but instead makes them think about themselves and their own life, pride affecting their ego in a a positive or negative way.

In writing about pride, I’d like to mention common ways it is prevalent to other people’s eyes. Please keep in mind that it’s usually more obvious by the way of talk and act if there is an issue with pride. Examples: Utilizing social media to post anything and everything, having no boundaries of limitation. Becoming a parent or grandparent, going overboard in various ways. Having lots of toys/things and bragging about it. Talking about how much money you have. Being a business owner and posting a lot on social media about how busy you are. Bragging about yourself, comparing yourself to others, or talking down at or about others to make yourself look better and feel better about yourself. Having to look good all the time, social media posting every possible “looking-good” occasion. These can all be common venues towards pride showing it’s ugly head. I’m not saying every one of these is ALWAYS a pride issue, but clumped together and constant doing of this sort is a strong sign pride is guiding the way.

But again, these are just some of MANY examples of how pride is found in our everyday lives. Pride can easily sneak in on any individual or BING(business, institution, nation, or group) and before a person or BING knows it they can have a big head, per-say, without being aware of how other’s see them. That being said, I truly hope and pray people and BINGs realize the error of their way and desire to change to become more humble, letting pride take a backseat or ditching pride all together.

Pride can become a nasty thing, and more often than not that’s what I am continually seeing in today’s day an age. It’s really sad. And for me, sometimes makes me righteously angry at how prevalent it is.

Pride can also be a good thing when it is expressed in a humble manner and not in other’s face, though! For example: To have pride in your work knowing you did a good job with integrity guiding your way, without letting the good work go to your head, feeling the need to brag about it and blowing it up. Or, pride in your group or institution, knowing the reason your works and projects are helping others. Good deeds are a great thing! NOT letting your right hand know what the left hand is up to is a great sign of absence of unhealthy pride!

I didn’t want this blog to get too long. I wrote this to create awareness on the topic for all people reading it hoping and praying we each desire to examine ourselves, truly letting Papa God work in and through us to do the hard work of letting pride go and becoming a humbler, kinder person. We need that in this world…humility and kindness…not pride. Being humble does help us to be more aware of others and the needs of others around us.

I hope that this blog makes you think for yourself and your own life, NOT about OTHERS. Really, dig deep and examine yourself. I challenge you.

Remember, pride does go before a fall. Don’t let it get to that point. Do the work that is needed so that a fall doesn’t have to happen.

God bless and may you find peace in knowing we can do this, each us, if we choose to humble ourselves!