Thomas A Tarrants, III, D. Min. Vice President of Ministry, C.S. Lewis Institute, gives a quote from John R. W. Stott. “Pride is your greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend.” C.S. Lewis called pride “The great sin.” …it is pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.

Pride first appears in the Bible in Genesis 3, where satin uses pride as the avenue by which to seduce Adam and Eve. It is the devil’s most effective and destructive tool. First, Satan arrogantly contradicted what God said to Eve about eating the forbidden fruit and charged God with lying.

Pride and arrogance are among the rich, the powerful, the successful, the famous, celebrities of all sorts, and even to some religious leaders. It is also alive in ordinary people such as you and I. It is dangerous because what has been recognized throughout history as being the deadliest vice is almost celebrated as a virtue in 2024.

In the 80’s an energy company executives used fraudulent accounting practices to inflate the company’s revenues and hide debt in its subsidiaries. The SEC, credit rating agencies, and investment banks were also accused of negligence, and, in some cases, outright deception, which enabled the fraud.

The bible story of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector can help us recognize our own spiritual pride. The Tax Collector was despised because he collected taxes for the Roman government, and no doubted added some extra for himself, which he did not report. Scamming his own people.

The self- righteous Pharisee commends himself to God because of his careful observance of the law and to look down with scorn on the sinful tax collector. “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.”   

We should bear in mind that the apostles themselves were infected with pride and disputed with one another about who was the greatest. The desire to lift up and exalt ourselves beyond our place as Gods creatures lies at the heart of pride.

A new friend, a deacon, was sharing with me all of the things that he had done before. I thought he was terrible. I told him that I had not done any of those things. I’ve never stayed out all night with my friends drinking, and chasing women. I have never done drugs or had a desire to do so.

He said, “I know what your problem is, you’re too good for the devil, but you are not good enough for God.  Not once have you given God glory, or praise for giving you the strength to fight those issues. You are like the selfrighteous Pharisee.”

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humble himself will be exalted (Luke 14:11).