Faith Hurdles (5)

“The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’” Luke 18.11, 12

A warning against pride
In Jesus’ parable about the self-righteous Pharisee, He was warning people against the prideful notion that we are sufficient in ourselves for whatever “salvation” we might require. Pride is yet another hurdle people have to overcome if they’re ever going to make their way to faith in Christ, and it comes to us in a variety of ways, although it always takes the same form:

“I can handle this by myself!”

Pride frequently comes from comparing oneself to others, especially those who are obviously one’s inferiors in some way. “I’m not as bad a sinner as some,” pride leads us to conclude, and, of course, we can always find plenty of sinners compared with whom our own morality looks pretty good.

“Look at everything I do!” is yet another form of pride. I work harder, earn more, am more active in helping others, and besides, I’ve managed to achieve quite a bit. What would coming to Jesus do to make me any more successful than I already am?

Pride also comes by thinking that one has been somehow “favored” more than others, and is therefore, better than they. A prideful person might even attribute his acquisitions and successes to some “higher power” and thus display a false humility. Such a person is grateful – to something – for not having been born in a Third World nation, and he converts that sense of blessing into one of deserving, concluding that there must be something special about him to be who he is.

The essence of pride
Pride is making more of oneself than is justified. When a person comes to consider that his own attainments, abilities, or status somehow rank him a notch above others, and that, in the end, he is the architect of his own success, pride can have a blinding effect. It leads a person to conclude that, since he’s done it all so well so far, why would he think that he needs anybody else, much less God, to help the rest of the way?

Of course, there’s always the matter of the grave.

The sons of Korah observed of the rich and prideful that they always hoped that the lands and projects they named after themselves would keep their glory alive after they had departed this world. But it seldom did, and even if it did, what good would that do them, a-mouldering in the grave (Ps. 49)?

A nation of narcissists
In our day it seems just about everyone has bought into the problem of pride at some level. We are a nation of narcissists, as Christopher Lasch explained, and our “all through the day” cry and concern is, as The Beatles so aptly phrased it, “I, me, mine!”

Pride can blind us to our needs because we figure whatever needs we have we can handle, and if we can’t, they probably aren’t important anyway. Pride leads people to justify their immoral practices. Pride leads us to acquire more things with which to prop up our self-image. Pride causes us to pooh-pooh whatever lack of knowledge might characterize us: After all, if I don’t know or care about this, it’s undoubtedly not all that important.

How can we break through pride? How can we help a prideful person take off the mask of security and smugness and look within his own soul? In love, Jesus confronted His prideful generation, both directly and indirectly. And He showed, as in the case of the Apostle Paul, that pride, while a considerable hurdle, can be overcome.

This can be very difficult, for as soon as you begin to challenge a prideful person, he might cut you off completely. If you don’t see things his way, you must not be worth knowing.

Solomon’s story might be useful in such a situation. As he relates his life in the book of Ecclesiastes, no one ever had more to boast about than he. Just listen to all that “I, me, mine!” in chapter 2. Let your prideful friend read from Solomon’s own words that pride and self-satisfaction are, in the end, empty, hollow, and meaningless. Accomplished and prideful as he was, Solomon’s life was without substance or happiness, and his only hope was to turn to God and to find his rest in Him, as he recounts in Ecclesiastes 12.

A prideful friend might be able to identify with Solomon’s journey, and perhaps, his conclusion.

For reflection or discussion
1.      Why is pride such a powerful hurdle for people to jump when it comes to believing the Gospel?

2.      Reflect on Solomon’s story, as he tells it in Ecclesiastes. How can you see pride and humiliation at work in him?

3.      Suggest some ways of approaching someone about this faith hurdle. How might you help a prideful person to look at himself a bit more objectively? Why is this important if we hope to help such a person be open to the Gospel?

Next steps: Do you sense the presence of any pride in your own life? Spend some time in prayer, waiting on the Lord to show you any areas where you need to repent of pride, before you go to call others to do the same.

T. M. Moore

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This week’s ReVision study is Part 7 of a 10-part series, “Full Faith.” You can download “Faith Hurdles” as a free PDF, prepared for personal or group study. Simply click here.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.