CHAPTER 16
Pride
I am the greatest. Not only do I knock 'em out, I pick the round!
Muhammad Ali
The Problem
- Men want and need to feel good about themselves.
- Pride is a sin of comparison in which we compare our strengths to
the other fellow's weaknesses.
Two Types of Pride
- Pride Type 1. Rather than testing our self worth by comparison to
others, we are encouraged to self-examination.
- Pride Type 2. A feeling of superiority brought about by looking
down on others.
Two Types of Humility
- Humility Type 1. Not thinking more highly of yourself than you
ought.
- Humility Type 2. Thinking too lowly of yourself. Self-
deprecation.
Keeping the Right Balance
- We don't look down on others, but we have tested our actions, and
take pride without comparing ourself to others.
- We don't think more highly of ourselves than we ought to, but we
soberly think well of ourselves.
Sources of Pride
- Too much success can cause us to forget who and what we are.
- A man who does not fear God becomes so proud that he cannot detect
his own sinfulness.
- We put a great deal of effort into making ourselves feel
important.
Symptoms
- One symptom of pride is a dead giveaway -- constant critiquing of
others.
- Another is blindness to the needs of others.
- Unwillingness to associate with people of lower position is yet
another symptom.
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