How would you describe the word "Pride?" Webster describes pride as "The quality or state of being proud" or "a proud or disdainful behavior or treatment."
Think about that definition for a second. Would you agree with me then, that people in general are prideful? What are some things that you have pride in? Is it your school? Is it your car? How about your family or friends.
The bible tells us we are to do nothing out of pride because Jesus Christ did nothing out of pride. Everything Christ ever did, he did out of humility. We see Paul telling this to the church of Philippi in the book of Philippians.
Philippians Chapter 2:1-9
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
This word, Vainglory, in verse 3 means "an excessive or ostentatious PRIDE, especially in ones achievements."
The scripture we just read says that Christ did nothing out of Pride. He could have done everything out of pride. He's GOD!!! He can do anything He wants. He's perfect. He could be like "Look at everything that I created, now bow down to me" But instead, He made himself like us. Like MAN. He made himself like man, was born, walked upon the earth for 33 years and then died the most humiliating death that someone could be put through in those times- death upon a cross. I'm not going to go into that scripture right now, but if you want to read an account of his death, read John 19: 16-37 later on your own.
Another thing that Jesus did that took complete humility was the washing of his disciple's feet. Bro. Will taught about this during VBS at our church, Gadara Baptist. Washing someone's feet then isn't like washing someone's feet now. People back then walked from place to place. They usually didn't ride horses or donkeys unless they were extremely rich. So, they walked everywhere. They only shoes they had were leather sandals, and sometimes not even that. They walked bare footed. Again, I won't go into the scripture for this one, but you can look it up on your own later. John 13 gives a good account of this.
Okay, so back to the issue of Pride: It's safe to assume that if you are overly proud or have too much pride in yourself or an item, that you make yourself or that item your god. The first commandment that God gives Moses in the book of Exodus is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
We're seeing now that we're not to be prideful, right? We're seeing that we're to be humble in our actions, even if it takes looking to someone like they're better than us. I know that's a hard concept to grasp- it is for me.
So here's my challenge to you- pray about this, that God would change your heart and make you more humble. And also, try living out a humble lifestyle. When you do something, don't do it so you can say you achieved something. Because that's pride, which we've seen in the last few minutes to be wrong.
If you know Christ, I encourage you to live out for him, to follow him daily in a humble mind.
If you don't know Christ as your personal savior, and you want to know more about Him, I encourage you to talk to me, or someone you know to be a Christian.
