Series | The
Overcoming Life
Scripture | Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a
fall."
Lesson 2 | Pride,
“I Don’t Need Discipleship”
Pride is one
of those sins that is always easier to see in others than ourselves. Pride goes hand-in-hand with self-deception
because when people say we have it we will lie to cover it up. A wise man once said, “We lie the loudest
when we lie to ourselves.” When
confronted with our pride we’ll say something like, “I don’t have a problem
with pride- its everyone else’s fault.” Consequently, in the church the person
with pride attempts to “teach the teacher” and “correct the corrector.”
Pride has many
different masks. Sometimes it can appear
as false humility, “Who, me? You think I
have pride? I’m just a lowly servant that everyone overlooks and never pays
attention too.” Other times pride
appears as over confidence, “Accountability? Nope, I’m all good. No need to probe into my life and see how I’m
living when no one is looking- I’m here in this Bible study to help others who
really need it.”
Self-pity
and self-adornment have the same thing in common, “pride.” They both are false
views of one’s self. The best definition
of pride is, “to think of yourself differently than God does and to act
differently than God commands.” For
example, if you have self-pity and don’t believe you are who God says you are and
you love to throw “pity patty parties” for yourself you have pride. On the other hand, if you think life is all
about you and you can’t accept God’s command to be a servant to others you
stink of pride.
The Bible,
especially the book of Proverbs, has much to teach about pride. The easiest way King Solomon taught to be free from pride was to humble yourself before God and willingly receive correction from trusted leaders around you. Why? Because without being corrected by wise
instructors you won’t be able to see your own pride and have instruction to
personally overcome it. Proverbs 13:10
states, “Where there is strife, there is
pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”
Therefore,
if you want to overcome pride pray this simple prayer and mean it, “Dear Jesus,
please send trusted leaders into my life to teach me to overcome my pride.
Amen.”
Reflection | Are you humble enough, by God’s grace,
to let leaders in your life teach you to overcome your own pride?
Action | (1) Repent of the times you
have acted in pride towards church leadership. (2) Ask God to make you humble
like Jesus, Philippians 2. (3) Lastly, trust godly leaders, who are led by the
Spirit in your life, to help expose and overcome your pride.
One Year
Reading Plan (Optional) | Isaiah
66:1-24, Philippians 3:4-21, Psalm 74:1-23, & Proverbs 24:15-16. Click here to read online.
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