Pride. The Great Sin.Sample

Humility versus pride

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

As we saw yesterday, pride is thinking too highly of oneself. The opposite of pride is humility, a virtue God praised. However, it's important to note that humility does not mean to think lowly of oneself! Instead, to be humble is to have an accurate view of oneself and God.

Since God created humanity and every individual "fearfully and wonderfully" (see Psalm 139:13-14), we are valuable in His eyes. He has "crowned us with glory and honor" (Psalm 8:5). Therefore, we may appreciate our talents, skills, and virtues as gifts from God. We may understand the self we have received, meanwhile being aware that sin has damaged us, so we are not perfect anymore.

Humility also means holding other people high and God higher than anything. Other people are as important as we are, and God is infinitely more important than us. This perspective is liberating since it frees us from jealousy and worries about how others perceive us. It enables us to think less of ourselves.

What does the word ‘humility’ evoke in you? Does it sound attractive? Why, or why not?