The Problem of Pride: Pursuing Humility in a Proud World
The Problem of Pride: Pursuing Humility in a Proud World
by
Tommie van der Walt
I have always found it striking to observe the differences between the Bible’s view of humanity and the world’s view of humanity. One of these differences concerns how we should live our lives. The world teaches us to constantly marvel at how special we are, while the Bible teaches us to marvel at how special God is (Revelation 4:11). The world tells us to pursue our true selves, while the Bible instructs us to pursue God (Matthew 6:33). The world encourages us to prioritise our needs, while the Bible tells us to prioritise the needs of others (Philippians 2:3–4). The world insists that we deservethe best that life has to offer us, while the Bible asks:
“What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?”
1 Corinthians 4:7, ESV
Here we see that what the world exalts as good, the Bible condemns as pride. Scripture clearly instructs us to live humbly. James 4:6 reminds us, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
He blesses those who consider the needs of others before their own—those who pursue His glory instead of their own.
But consider this: How often are we tempted to see ourselves the way the world encourages us to? How often are we discouraged when others fail to recognise our worth or give us credit for our efforts? How often are our hearts lifted by applause? How often do we grow angry when others stand in the way of what we believe we deserve? How often do we put our selfish desires before others’ genuine needs?
The reality is that pride runs deep in the human heart. Because of sin, we are inclined to exalt ourselves. I have seen this in my own life, and no doubt, you have seen it in yours as well. The challenge before us is the same challenge we face with all the sins we recognise in our lives: What do we do with them? Do we justify them and live with them, or do we repent and fight them? Every person is called to the latter, but Christians especially—we are to be marked by repentance and sanctification.
How, then, do we fight our pride? C. J. Mahaney (Humility: True Greatness, 2000) offers a helpful insight: Humility does not come from thinking less of yourself—a common misconception—but from thinking about yourself less. And what should we think more about instead?“We should draw our gaze away from what we deserve and redirect it towards God.”
He says that true humility grows when we honestly assess ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our own sinfulness. Consider Isaiah 6:5:
“And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!’”
Getting to know God through prayer and the Word gives us a sobering sense of who we are (Humility: True Greatness, Mahaney, 2000). Truly meditating on the life of Christ and His work on the cross kills pride. It cannot survive where the gospel is treasured (Galatians 6:14)—in one who sees themselves for what they truly are: a sinner who was deserving of nothing but eternal death before being called by Christ.
We were hopeless before we met Him. We are what we are because He has made us so (2 Timothy 1:9). Indeed, what do we have that we have not received from Him? It should humble us to know that we deserve worse than what we have or think we deserve. When our lives aren’t lived in thankfulness and dependency on God, we leave a breeding ground for pride and other forms of sin. It all boils down to being reminded of who we really are without Christ.
The local church, being God’s great means of sanctifying believers, is a wonderful place for Christians to learn humility. Within the church, sins like pride can be confronted and put to death (Hebrews 10:24–25). A healthy church prioritizes the preaching of God’s Word, which reveals the sinfulness of our hearts and calls us to repentance. Through faithful preaching, we are reminded of the holiness of God and our deep need for grace (Hebrews 4:12).
The church’s ordinances also serve this purpose. In baptism, we affirm one another’s faith and commit to keeping each other accountable before God. In the Lord’s Supper, we reflect on Christ’s sacrifice, repent of our sins, and renew our devotion to Him. Through these practices, we allow fellow believers to speak into our lives, helping us shake off the sins that cling so closely.
Another way pride is put to death in the church is through building a culture of service. Many churches, without realizing it, feed pride by treating members as consumers rather than as active participants in ministry. But we are not called to sit back and be served—we are called to serve. Humility grows when we seek to meet the needs of others rather than expecting them to meet our own (Mark 10:45).
My prayer is that we will continually remind ourselves and each other of the cross. May we remain grounded in Scripture and prayer, humbled by the holiness of God. And may we see just how utterly dependent we are on Him for life, grace, and mercy.
