Subtle Pride and True Humility

Subtle Pride and True Humility

Rev Renee Khoo

17 September 2017

Proverbs 18:12

12 Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honour.

Sin of Pride

Wisdom comes from God. Pride is the ultimate sin. Pride is living a life independent of God. Prov.18:12 tells us that pride leads to destruction and humility leads to honor.

Three types of proud people

1) Three types of proud people

i) Obvious proud-Know it all
They are people who talk loudly, very status conscious, showy and think that they are better and smarter than others.

ii) Less obvious proud-easily offended
They are normal but get easily offended if you don't acknowledge them, shake their hands or smile to them because they feel that other people don't regard them as important.

iii) Hidden proud/subtle pride-Life independent of God.
They are people who want to live certain area and time of their lives the way they want independent of God. God is only relevant to them on sundays. After fulfilling their church obligations they leave God in the church from Monday to Saturday and live their lives in the marketplace. Their lives have no reference to God whatsoever believing as if they are God themselves. Their hallmark is independence of God.
We are not autonomous. We need God. When God is not featured in any area of our lives it is subtle pride. 

2) True Humility

True Himility is humble boldness

Matthew 11:29, 21:12, 23:13-36

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Jesus said he is gentle.

Yet he turned tables inside the temple. 

True humility is not becoming a doormat or becoming Mr/Miss sorry. Jesus demonstrated to us what True Humility means in three incidents recorded in scripture.
In Matt.11:29 he invited us to take his yoke and learn from him for he is gentle and humble at heart.
In Matt.23:13-36 he condemned the Pharisees by calling them hypocrites, vipers and white washed tombs.
In Matt.21:12 he overturned the tables and drove out the merchants doing business in the temple
It is evident here that True Humility is for the strong. We need the humble boldness to hold the two extreme tensions of submissiveness (enduring quietly) verses aggressiveness (shouting profusely) in balance. The best balance is assertiveness where we speak our mind truely, clearly and firmly for the glory of God.

3) James 4:6
"God opposes the proud but give grace to the humble"
If we want more grace we need to submit our lives and humble ourselves to him. When we draw near to him he will draw near to us.
Some of us need to say the seven hardest words to those we have wronged.
"I was wrong can you forgive me." By this act of humility we will attract God's favor into our lives

Questions:

1) Read and reflect the following ( select those that are meaningful to you) Proverbs 3:34; 8:13; 11:2; 15:33; 16:5; 16:18-19; 18:12; 22:4. What do they say to you?

2) Recall and share an incident in your life where you experienced subtle pride and/or true humility.

3) In light of your reflections, what is one area in your life and one deliberate step you would take to change in regards to humility and pride.

Proverbs in Question 1
Proverbs
3:34
He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble & oppressed
8:13
To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride & arrogance, evil behaviour & perverse speech
11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom
15:33
Wisdom's instruction is to fear the Lord & humility comes before honor
16:5
The Lord detests all the proud of heart Be sure of this They will not go unpunished
16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall
16:19
Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud
18:12
Before a downfall the heart is haughty but humility comes before honor
22:4
Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches & honor & life☘

Our discussions :-

Every one of us will have a different level of pride in different environments and settings. There is always this hierarchy and protocol of things at workplace, Brigade, church, it is an understood protocol that seniority in rank or age or longer service will mean they could command greater respects from the juniors.

But then with humility, there also could be three level of humility :-

True humility - Needless to say, or talk about it, you could feel it in their presence and also how other people describe them.

Moderate humility - The persons can swing from being humble to being arrogant depending on the situation. One who would insist on a certain protocol in certain situations but in another time, a very humble soul.

Fake humility - one could brag about being very humble and decline to serve due to self-declared disability or disqualification. One may disqualify himself or herself from serving even when they are able to serve.