“What is the opposite of Humility? What are some of the ways or attitudes in which we become prideful or arrogant?” (Question taken from the Gathering Place, page 257.) In response to this question, I found a few appropriate quotes (go figure) from C.S. Lewis. In regards to the “opposite of humility,” I thought of pride and I found according to Lewis that in contrast to considering others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3), “pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man… It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition is gone, pride is gone.” ― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity When we keep a self-centered agenda, we cultivate pride and arrogance as an attitude. It could manifest itself in things like self-indulgence instead of gracious generosity, swollen conceit instead of genuine concern for others, heartlessness instead of compassion, and seeking to please people over seeking to please God, but “The beautifully Fierce…” walk in confidence and humility that flow from the recognition of Christ’s work of grace in their life” (Kim Wagner).
Today, September 18, 2014 on Bible Gateway the “Verse of the Day” comes from Philippians 2:304 (AMP). “Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]. Let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not [merely] his own interests, but also each for the interests of others.” According to the Word of God attitudes in which we become prideful or arrogant manifest themselves in the form of “contentiousness, strife, and selfishness” only to name a few. Our remedy, in short, with our eyes on Jesus is to look out not only for our own good but also for the good of others. “I was thinking recently that if I could identify one single attribute biblically that would be the supreme attitude of all attitudes, the most desirable from God’s view point would be humility” (John MacArthur) (The Gathering Place, page 35).
LORD Jesus, please forgive me for when I have considered myself more highly than I ought to. Forgive me of pride. Help me to recognize your work of grace in my life and to walk in confidence and humility. I pray this for all of the women in the Gathering place bible study. Increase our love for you. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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