Pride has a bad reputation. It is generally thought of as something to be avoided and rooted out. Christians mistakenly believe that God dislikes all pride. They focus on verses like these: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18) and “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6).

Here are some things that indicate you have unhealthy pride:

•  You frequently boast about yourself in a way that shows you are superior to others.
•  You cannot see your faults.
•  You are self-sufficient and do not need other people to help you.
•  You want what you want when you want it and believe you deserve it.
•  You are stubborn and refuse to compromise with others.

Here are some things that indicate you have healthy pride:

•      You do not compare yourself to others.
•  You feel good about your accomplishments without feeling superior to others.
•  You do not boast about yourself but are willing to acknowledge truth.
•  You can see and admit your faults.
•  You are willing to compromise and cooperate.

It is okay to feel good about your accomplishments. God felt good about his creation, and we are created in his image. Healthy pride goes along with good self-esteem and encourages us to do things we will feel proud about.

By Karla Downing

Relationship Devotional Prayer

 
God,

Help me to have healthy pride instead of unhealthy pride.

Relationship Devotional Challenge

•  Assess whether you have healthy or unhealthy pride.

Scripture Meditation

 
Galatians 6:3-5

“If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.
Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load” (NIV).