God has the same disgust for pride. In fact, the Bible says that He hates it. "These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him," says the wise writer in Proverbs 6:16. And what does he list first among those things that God hates? "A proud look" tops the list. The reason for God's hatred of pride is clearly stated in one of David's psalms:

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity (Psa. 5:4-5).

In Proverbs 21:4, the same point is made in these words: "A haughty look, a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked are sin." Yes, the kind of pride which aims at self-promotion, speaks with boastfulness, or displays arrogance is repulsive to man. But, of greater importance, it is sinful and abhorrent to God.

The fact that pride is sinful and that God hates it should cause us to see its harmful effects. However, pride sets one up for destruction in various avenues of life. The wise man affirmed, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18). A person who has an inflated view of one's own importance and knowledge tends to act rashly upon his impulses. Whether one acts in this way in moral matters, business affairs or the political arena, the task undertaken is doomed to an inevitable destruction. Why? Because one has become so self-absorbed that the person fails to consider anything besides one's own desires and thoughts. "I don't care what anyone else thinks or feels, I want..." are the words of a person overcome with pride.

In spiritual matters, the person who only thinks of one's own desires, rather than humbly submitting to the requirements of God, is headed towards sin. If one fails to search for God's instruction, a person is left to aimlessly follow selfish desires and be molded by the evils of the surrounding world (Jer. 10:23; 1 Jn. 2:15-17). The psalmist who loved the commandments of God declared,

Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.... My soul breaks with longing for Your judgments at all times. You rebuke the proud - the cursed, who stray from Your commandments (Psa. 119:17-21).

Ignorance of God's will is no excuse for sin. God has given His will in a way that all who truly try can understand it (Eph. 5:17). Ignorance of God's will is an evidence of pride. It shows that one has concentrated upon one's own thoughts and desires rather than humbly seeking to be instructed by God. It will be a just judgment when God condemns one who has refused to know His will.

In addition to separating people from God, pride also separates people from one another. This fact is stated repeatedly in Proverbs. Proverbs 13:10 says, "By pride comes only contention, but with the well-advised is wisdom." Proverbs 28:25 reaffirms, "He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in the Lord will be prospered."

We live in an age which stresses the need for self-esteem. As long as this breeds a proper understanding of responsibility and respect, rather than self-centeredness and arrogance, it can be helpful. However, when one's own thoughts are used to replace the instruction of God and the need for rightful submission, a grave danger has been introduced. Whether we try to dress pride up as "self-esteem" or leave it in its ugly form of sickening arrogance, it is still displeasing to God and destructive to human relationships. We must be watchful of humanistic efforts to falsely label pride as "self-esteem" and sell it as an advancement. True self-esteem is needed, but the counterfeit variety of renamed pride is not. In the various avenues of life, we must see, "When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom" (Prov. 11:2). Therefore, we need to purge ourselves from pride and let humility take its place.

Need for Humility

Humility has always been God's requirement for mankind. Long ago, the prophet in Micah 6:8 summed up the responsibilities of man in this way: "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" David recognized the need for such humility before God. He said, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart - these, O God, You will not despise" (Psa. 51:17). David saw that arrogance in the face of God was not productive of anything good. Instead, he needed to acknowledge his own place as a sinner who penitently bowed before God seeking His grace. God confirmed the need for man to humble himself in order to dwell with God.

For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isa. 57:15).

The New Testament declares the same need for humility if we are to please God. Paul expressed it this way:

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others (Phil. 2:3-4).

After saying this, Paul explained how we were given the perfect example of this humility in Christ's life:

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:5-8).

Humility demands that one think and act, not with his own interests and desires as the priority, but with the best interest of others as the priority. Jesus taught this lesson while on the earth by washing the disciples' feet as an illustration of humility. When he finished, he said, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet" (Jn. 13:14). Jesus was God incarnate upon the earth. He had all of the glory and power of God as He existed in the eternal realm of deity. When He came to this earth, He was still God, but He was also man. No person in the history of this world has been equal to Jesus. Yet, Jesus did not demand a place of adoration, but served people even to the point of death. Since none of us are so superior in nature to any other person as was Jesus, should we not understand our obligation to serve others with humility? This "ME generation" must cease to "look out for number one first." God demands that we be humble servants before Him and our fellow man.