I am the common denominator for most of the problems in my life.  And you are, too.  We need to realize that we have an “I” problem. The middle letter of “sin” is “I.” The middle letter of “pride” is “I.”  That’s what happens when I want what I want when I want it, no matter what God says.

Pride says, “It’s all about me.” And it takes us on an ego trip called the ride of pride.

All Aboard The Pride Train!

The engineer is…

Ned Narcissist

…and the destination is destruction.

Henry Humility.

He’s Hashtag #humbled. But he uses his false humility to brag about his life.

Doris Destination.

She loves to post and brag about where she goes on expensive vacations and her fine dining experiences.

Tom Trophy.

His trophies are the trophy friends he poses with on social media. You have to be seen with the “right” people. These include the popular people or the celebrities that you met but who you really don’t know.

Shelly Selfie.

She’s all about the selfie pics on her social media, trying to get the most likes because of the dangle of her photo angle.

Paul Party.

He’s always invited to the right get-togethers and he lets everyone else, who feels stuck at home alone, know it.

Steve Soapbox.

Steve is proud of his opinions and he lets everyone know it!

1 Corinthians 4:6-13

Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another. For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you. Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike.

10 Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. 11 Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. 12 We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. 13 We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment.

Pride Says:

1. I’m the exception.

I will excuse myself and see myself as different then everyone so I can have special privileges.

2. I can do it on my own.

I don’t need anyone else’s help.

3. I need to look good for Jesus.

It’s all about appearances though. And appearance is deceiving.

Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all. If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, Book 3, Chapter 8, “The Great Sin,” Kindle location 1665

The Destination of Pride

1. Pride leads to conflict. 

Pride only breeds quarrels. Only by pride comes contention. Proverbs 13:10

He that is of a proud heart, stirs up strife. Proverbs 28:25

Pride is always at the center of conflict. It causes us to put other people down. It causes us to act rudely. We start to think that other people exist to serve us or meet our needs.

Pride also makes us judgmental.

Jesus said, “Take the log out of your own eye first and then you’ll be able to see and take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:5

Pride makes us unwilling to see our own issues. When we are proud, we won’t humble ourselves to say, “I’m sorry,” and admit we were wrong.

2.  Pride leads to a dead-end. 

When we are too proud, we are unteachable. We think we already know it all.

Pride leads to disgrace but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2

Anyone willing to be corrected is on the pathway to life.  But anyone refusing has lost his chance. Proverbs 10:17

3.  Pride leads to worry.

When I’m always worried about how I look, or sound, or dress, I am focused on one thing: Me!

It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you. Proverbs 29:25

Being real and authentic is the best way to live, even if you’re not perfect (which no one is), people want to know the real you.

4.  Pride leads to separation from God.

Pride is the original sin from the garden that says, “I am going to be the god of my own life.”

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5:5

Humility is the secret to receiving God’s power in your life.

You can humble yourself before God by praying and saying, “God, you are God, and I am not. I humble myself before you.”

4 steps you can take towards humility.

         1.  Admit my sins.

A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance. Proverbs 28:13

Aren’t you glad that God is a God of second chances? He will give you another chance if you humble yourself and confess your sin to Him.

         2.  Evaluate my strengths.

Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Romans 12:3 (NLT)

Humility is being honest about your weaknesses. It means to see yourself as God sees you. When God looks at you, He sees you through the lens of the cross of Jesus.

         3.  Serve others.

When you’re helping others, you can’t think about yourself.

So many people are depressed today. One of the antidotes to that depression is to focus on someone else instead of yourself. There’s such a thing as “Helper’s High” that comes from serving others.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Look not only to your own interests but, also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:305

Jesus didn’t come to be served but to serve other people. He said that if you want to be great, be the servant of all.

         4.  Depend on Jesus continually.

True humility and fear of the Lord [that means respect for God.] lead to riches, honor and long life. Proverbs 22:4

When I realize that God made you and He loves you. The One who knows you the best, loves you the most! There’s nothing you can do to make Him love you more or love you less. You can receive His love today! That will lead you to lay down your pride and live humbly before God and others.