pride vs. humility: 50 ways this battle impacts your life
“Pride is the carbon monoxide of sin. It silently and slowly kills you without you even knowing.” — Tim Keller
“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes humans as angels.” — Augustine
Fifty items on a listicle!!! I know, things are getting crazy around here. But if there’s one topic to dig deeper on, it’s pride, since few things will so secretly harm your twenties like pride. I didn’t believe this, so I had to learn the subtle destructiveness of pride the hard way. So to help you avoid my mistakes, here are 50 ways pride and humility affect how you approach life:
Pride says, “I have to be the best.” Humility says, “I have to be my best.”
Pride says, “I’m always right.” Humility says, “There’s more than one way to do something, and each can be right at a different time.”
Pride says, “They’re lucky to have someone like me.” Humility says, “This organization did well before me and it will continue long after I’m gone.”
Pride says, “I don’t need your feedback.” Humility says, “Thanks, that helped me see something about myself I never knew.”
Pride says, “Don’t they know how valuable my time is?” Humility says, “So this is how it feels when I’m late.”
Pride says, “I can solve my own problems.” Humility says, “I think I need some help.”
Pride says, “How can these people help me reach my goals?” Humility says, “How can I help these people reach their goals?”
Pride says, “God, what are you doing?” Humility says, “I don’t understand what you’re doing God, but I trust you.”
Pride says, “I’ve arrived.” Humility says, “I can always get better.”
Pride says, “Look at all my strengths!” Humility says, “Too much of any strength is a weakness.”
Pride says, “I already know everything.” Humility says, “The more I learn the more I see how little I know.”
Pride says, “I never struggle with pride.” Humility says, “Pride marks my life in ways I’m just beginning to understand.”
Pride says, “Has there ever been anyone like me?” Humility says, “In the grand scheme of history, look at all of the people just like me!”
Pride says, “I don’t need to change, because I’m not the problem.” Humility says, “I wonder how I can change to help solve this problem?
Prides say, “The problem is they don’t do it my way.” Humility says, “Maybe their way would work if I supported it?”
Pride says, “I deserve to be praised.” Humility says, “I appreciate the recognition.”
Pride says, “I would never do anything that bad!” Humility says, “I need to be on my guard, because the seeds of that sin are in me, too.”
Pride says, “I deserve a good life.” Humility says, “I’ll work towards a good life, but I can’t say I deserve one more than anyone else.”
Pride says, “How can they struggle with that?” Humility says, “I can understand, because I have my struggles, too.”
Pride says, “If they win, that means I lose.” Humility says, “We’re all running different races in life, so I’m rooting for you to win yours.”
Prides says, “I’ve gotten such a raw deal in life.” Humility says, “If I’m being honest, lots of people in the world would love to trade places and have my ‘terrible’ life.”
Pride says, “The universe revolves around me!” Humility says, “What small part can I play helping the universe go round?”
Pride says, “Why don’t these people recognize my brilliance?” Humility says, “I’m pursuing excellence in this, regardless of whether I am recognized for it or not.”
Pride says, “Here I am!” Humility says, “There you are!”
Pride says, “I have to have more than that person.” Humility says, “I’m good, since I already have plenty.”
Pride says, “God should be glad I chose Him.” Humility says, “I wonder why God chose me?”
Pride says, “When you’re as awesome as me it’s okay to be self-centered.” Humility says, “I still have plenty of flaws. Besides, I find other people much more interesting than myself.”
Pride says, “Look how successful I am.” Humility says, “Look how many successful people have helped me.”
Pride says, “I can go it alone.” Humility says, “I need other people’s support, because I know tough times will come.”
Pride says, “I’m not going to encourage them because I don’t want them to get better than me.” Humility says, “I’ll encourage them so they can get even better!”
Prides says, “I’ve got it all together.” Humility says, “If they only knew my heart.”
Pride says, “I’m the best!” Humility says, “The breaks went my way today, but tomorrow they might not.”
Pride says, “I’m a natural, so I don’t need to practice.” Humility says, “Practice is the pathway to doing my best.”
Pride says, “If it’s meant to be it will always be easy.” Humility says, “Even the best things will require hard work to keep going.”
Pride says, “Look at everything I’ve achieved!” Humility says, “Look at how blessed I am.”
Pride says, “Hey, can you give me a boost?” Humility says, “If you stand on my shoulders you’ll get even higher.”
Pride says, “I’m the master of my life.” Humility says, “I’m glad I can trust someone greater than me.”
Pride says, “I always do everything around here!” Humility says, “Thanks for all of your help!”
Pride says, “What’s taking so long?” Humility says, “It’s ok, I’m not in a rush.”
Pride says, “I can’t trust anyone to do it as well as me.” Humility says, “You try it this time and we’ll get better together.”
Pride says, “I’m always perfect.” Humility says, “Let me tell you a funny story about my biggest mistake.”
Pride says, “Why don’t you see it my way?” Humility says, “Help me understand what you’re seeing.”
Pride says, “I can’t stand how proud that person is.” Humility says, “I struggle being around that person, but only because I want the attention they’re getting.”
Pride says, “If you don’t feel comfortable around me, it’s not my problem.” Humility says, “I remember what it feels like to be the new person.”
Pride says, “The rules don’t really apply to me.” Humility says, “If anyone needs the rules, it’s me.”
Pride says, “God needs me.” Humility says, “How incredible that God would use me!”
Pride says, “I have to be in charge.” Humility says, “How can I offer my gifts?
Pride says, “Let me tell you my thoughts.” Humility says, “Tell me more about that.”
Pride says, “These are my resources; I did the work, after all.” Humility says, “How can I best use what I’ve been given?”
Pride says, “Look how good I am at being humble!” Humility says, “Look how much I struggle with pride.”
Hopefully these give you some food for thought. Unhealthy pride is something we all struggle with, but because of the deception of sin, we often don’t understand how much it warps our lives. Pride will never go away through willpower or effort alone, but rather by seeing how Christ humbled himself, giving up his rights and his agenda in order to love us.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing, but taking the very nature of a servant.” (Philippians 2:3-7)
