Of Selfiees and "Selfiees of Pride"
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. ~James 4: 6
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. James 4: 6 (NKJV)
Everyone likes to take selfies, whether of themselves, with someone they know or even with a celebrity. That is great.
But there are other types of selfies, these are what I like to call selfies of pride. To name a few, there is self-gratification, self-justification, self-denial, self-security, self-absorbed, self-righteousness, self-perseverance, and self-exaltation. Not only do these types of selfies hinder our spiritual growth, it takes our focus off God and place dependency on self.
There are other types of selfies, these are what I like to call selfies of pride. To name a few, there is self-gratification, self-justification, self-denial, self-security, self-absorbed, self-righteousness, self-perseverance, and self-exaltation. Not only do these types of selfies hinder our spiritual growth, it takes our focus off God and place dependency on self.
Ironic, the only βgood selfieβ is self-control, and that only comes from depending on God.
The real question is, how does God see these? When we pray do we include asking God to rid us of pride? Even when we try to conceal pride we must remember God sees the pride in our heart.
Mere Christianity is a Christian classic that every believer ought to read at least once. I have read it several times since I first discovered it in 1985. Iβve d also recommended it to other Christians. In it, C. S. Lewis the famous author of the Chronicles of Narnia series wrote about pride as follows;
Now what you want to get clear is that Pride is essentially competitive - is competitive by its very nature while the other vices are competitive only, so to speak, by accident.Β
Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of itΒ than the next man.
We say that people are proud of being rich, or clever, orΒ good-looking, but they are not. They are proud of being richer, or cleverer, orΒ better-looking than others. If every one else became equally rich, or clever, orΒ good-looking there would be nothing to be proud about. It is the comparison thatΒ makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest.
Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone. That is why I say that Pride is essentially competitive in a way the other vices are not. The sexual impulse may drive two men into competition if they both want the same girl. But that is only by accident; they might just as likely have wanted two different girls. But aΒ proud man will take your girl from you, not because he wants her, but just to prove to himself that he is a better man than you.
Greed may drive men into competition if there is not enough to go round; but the proud man, even when he has got more than he can possibly want, will try to get still more just to assert his power. Nearly all those evils in the world which people put down to greed or selfishness are really far more the result of Pride.
If I am a proud man, then, as long as there is one man in the whole world more powerful, or richer, or cleverer than I, he is my rival and my enemy.
The Christians are right: it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. Other vices may sometimes bring people together: you may find good fellowship and jokes and friendliness among drunken people or unchaste people. But pride always means enmity - it is enmity. And not only enmity between man and man, but enmity toΒ God.
In God, you come up against something which is in every respect immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that - and, therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison - you do not know God at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God.
A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.
Well, must all Christians run from pride. Daily.
Pride is a SIN and if not dealt with can lead to shame, strife, ruin, and other negative consequences. Our goal is to please God, to exalt him and magnify him, not ourselves.
Here are some ways to help us identify the pride we can or may face in our lives.
Submit Yourself to God
To submit means to submit to, be subject to, or obey. Surrendering also refers to submitting to someone else's will or power. When we submit ourselves to God, we do what He wants, trusting in his power, and therefore giving him all the glory.
Pride will cause us to become so focused on SELF that we move from depending on him to depending on ourselves, thereby will be unable to perform what God requires of us. We start doing our own thing while disobeying God instead of trusting in his ability to use us. Give yourselves completely to Him. Don't let pride cause a conflict between your will and God's will. Bring yourself to your knees, surrender to God, and obey His commands!
Understand Godβs Position
When we are proud, we must recognize that we are opposing God. That Greek word for resist means "to oppose." We must begin dealing with pride by reminding ourselves that God will resist us in this scenario! When we become arrogant or appear to be superior to others, we turn against God. If you want to love God and be used by Him, you must change your mindset!
Humble Yourself
While God resists those, who are proud and give grace to the humble. God grants mercy and favors to those who are lowly so they might be used for his service. If you don't want to be taken down by pride, humble yourself under God's mighty hand. Recognizing that you are nothing without God and that He alone is worthy of all glory.
Resist the Devil
As we remain humble, we remain under Godβs anointing. When Satan comes against you, you are prepared and strengthened, because your hope is in him and not yourself. You can fulfill God's purpose and finish the work He has entrusted you to do if you remain humble. Regardless of what others may think, God clearly recognizes when we are prideful, and there are negative consequences that go along with it.
Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar. ~ Psalms 138:6
God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. ~ James 4:6-10
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