Pride Series

Series: There’s an App for That

“Pride”

Matthew 6:1-4

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We’re in this series called There’s an App for That. “App” is short for application. It’s a downloadable program for your smartphone or tablet that aids you in some area of your life. The Bible contains applications for issues that we face in the 21st century. Today we’re going to look at a Bible app for pride.

A preacher read his letter of resignation one Sunday morning. He explained that he was leaving to accept a call to another congregation several states away.

He stood at the door after the service, like a lot of preachers do, when one of the elderly saints took his hand. There were tears swimming in her eyes. She said, “Oh, preacher, I’m so sorry you’ve decided to leave. Things will never be the same again.”

The preacher was very flattered but he responded with what he thought was a big helping of humility and grace. He said, “Bless you, dear lady. But I’m sure that God will send you a new preacher even better than I am.”

She chocked back a sob and said, “That’s what they all say. But they just keep getting worse and worse!”

How often are you tempted to think you’re more important than you really are? We like to be the center of attention. We like to promote ourselves. We like to receive praise from other people. We like the applause of others. It causes us to be more concerned about self than Hod and others.

David Rhodes said: “Pride is the dandelion of the soul. Its roots go deep, only a little left behind sprouts again. Its seeds lodge in the tiniest encouraging cracks. And it flourishes in good soil. The danger of pride is that it feeds on goodness.”

Matt. 6:1-4 – “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

The Disease of Pride

There are two kinds of pride. The first kind draws us closer to God. It is a healthy kind of pride. It’s the pride you take in doing a job well. It’s the pride that drives you to give your best. 2 Cor. 7:4 – I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. Paul is proud to see his work in Corinth producing good seed.

It’s the kind of pride that you take in your children or grandchildren. Prov. 17:6 – Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

In this verse, “crown” and “pride” are descriptive ways of saying the same thing—that it is right and proper for grandparents to feel a sense of “pride” in their grandchildren, and vice versa.

The word we translate into English as “pride” literally means “glory” in the Hebrew, and is translated that way in the KJV. Just as the moon reflects the light (the glory) of the sun, children are a reflection (the glory) of their parents.

The second kind of pride drives us further from God. It’s a spiritual disease that God despises. Prov. 16:5 – The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

Pride is the one thing that keeps you from celebrating other people’s successes. It’s the one thing that keeps you from initiating an apology when you know you’re wrong. It’s the one thing that keeps you from initiating an apology when you’re only 5% wrong and the other person is 95% wrong. It’s the one thing that keeps you arguing your point even after you realize that you don’t even have a very good point but you keep on arguing.

Pride keeps you from admitting that you’ve lost. It keeps you from admitting weakness. It keeps you from admitting you need help. It keeps you from admitting that you don’t know what you’re doing even though everyone else knows that you don’t know what you’re doing. It keeps you from being honest with yourself. It keeps you from being honest with others. It keeps you from learning new things because you want the people around you to think you know everything.