29 June | Teens
«For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;…I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ » Isaiah 14: 13,14
Pride is a subtle trap, and Isaiah 14:12 to 14 shows us this clearly through the fall of Lucifer. He, an angel of light, fell because he did not recognize his true standing before God, letting pride take over his heart. Pride makes us forget who God is and what our place is in the universe.
First, pride distorts our understanding of need and abundance. The more we have, the less we think we have, creating a cycle of dissatisfaction that never ends. And the big problem with pride is that you never beat it. Do you know why? Because it is impossible to see pride in oneself. No one thinks he's proud.
Also, pride is competitive by nature. It pushes ourselves to try to beat others in some way, not out of merit, but just out of a desire to feel superior. It is a distorted love for what we don't have, that leads us to depreciate what we already have, just because someone else has more. After all, nothing devalues your toy more than a friend from school buying a better one.
In essence, pride is the greatest expression of darkness. Love is to light what pride is to darkness. The opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is indifference, and that comes from pride. Lucifer became Satan through pride, choosing darkness over the light of true love. So be careful! When we are proud, whom are we imitating?
Take Action
This week, try to identify a time when you felt proud and reflect on how it affected your actions and relationships. The goal is “just” to recognize pride in oneself and take a humble step toward change.