Don’t Let My Pride Guide Me

In Philippians 2:3 I read, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves.” (NIV)

Every conflict that I go through in a relationship has an element of pride mixed into it.

What is the middle letter of the word “pride”? I. What’s the middle letter of the word “crime”? I. What’s the middle letter of the word “sin”? I.

I have an “I” problem! “I” want what “I” want, and “I” want it now—and that causes all kinds of problems. In fact, pride is the root of every other sin. So, in any relationship, never let pride be my guide.

The Bible says, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” (Philippians 2:3 NIV).

In this verse, Paul points out two conflict-creating kinds of pride. One of them is selfish ambition, and the other is vain conceit. Selfish ambition says, “It’s all about me.” Vain conceit believes, “I’m always right.”

Selfish ambition causes all kinds of problems. James 3:16 says, “Where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice” (NIV). When I find confusion in my workplace, church, home, marriage, and even the government, I know that selfish ambition and jealousy are causing it.

Vain conceit is the attitude that I’m always right. Another translation of Philippians 2:3 says, “Don’t live to make a good impression on others” (TLB). People do this in every area of life, but it’s especially obvious on social media; it’s a great temptation to make myself look better on the Internet than I really am. 

In Galatians, Paul lists many effects of living with pride. He says that, when I live a self-centered life, it shows up in all kinds of ways. He mentions some obvious things—like self-indulgence showing up in sexual immorality and wild partying and getting drunk.

But most of the things on the list are relational sins. Galatians 5:19-21 says, “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear . . . quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy . . . Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (NLT).

Pride leads to all kinds of relational discord.

If I want to be happy in my relationships, I’ve got to have harmony. And if I’m going to have harmony, I’ve got to have humility. Never let pride be my guide.

In summary, every conflict that I go through in a relationship has an element of pride mixed into it. Seems I have an “I” problem! “I” want what “I” want, and “I” want it now. And this causes all kinds of problems. Pride is the root of every other sin. In relationships, never let pride be my guide. Paul points out two conflict-creating kinds of pride. One of them is selfish ambition, and the other is vain conceit. Selfish ambition says, “It’s all about me.” Vain conceit believes, “I’m always right.” Where I find confusion, I know that selfish ambition and jealousy are causing it. Vain conceit is the attitude that I’m always right. Another translation says, “Don’t live to make a good impression on others”. People do this in every area of life, but it’s especially obvious on social media; it’s a great temptation to make myself look better on the Internet than I really am. Paul lists many effects of living with pride. When I live a self-centered life, it shows up in all kinds of ways. Most of the things on the list are relational sins. Pride leads to all kinds of relational discord. If I want to be happy in my relationships, I’ve got to have harmony. And if I’m going to have harmony, I’ve got to have humility. Never let pride be my guide.

Selfishness ruins, but genuine humility builds. Being humble involves having a true perspective about myself. It doesn't mean that I should put myself down. Before God, I am a sinner, saved by God's grace, but I'm saved and therefore have great worth in God's Kingdom. I am to lay aside my selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy. Considering others' interests as more important than my own will link me with Christ, who was a true example of humility. Pride will only destroy. It can be self-deceiving, everyone can see it in me but me. Humility on my part is the antidote to pride. I can learn to grow in humility by spending time with Jesus and letting him control my thoughts, heart, attitude and reactions.