Pride causes people to focus inward rather than upward

Dear Dr. Graham: What is the greatest stumbling block to the Kingdom of God? Is it lying or pride?

S.B.

Dear S.B.: Sin gathers up all that violates a Holy God and keeps souls from entering God’s wonderful eternal home. But pride is pivotal — it stirs up everything that is against the lord, including lying. The book of wisdom says with pride comes shame (Proverbs 11:2). Proverbs is a marvelous little book to read daily. There are thirty-one chapters — one for each day of the month. It teaches man how to get along with others and overflows with wisdom.

When God sees us walking by his truth, he is blessed. The opposite of pride is humility. We are commanded to seek the lord and his righteousness and humility (Zephaniah 2:3). This is difficult especially in our world today. The culture shouts, “Me, Myself, and I!” This is dangerous. Police your own heart. Ask God to convict you when you have your eyes turned inward. Pride comes from looking only at ourselves; meekness comes through looking at God.

The Bible teaches that we should think more highly of others than we think of ourselves (Philippians 2:3). This is made very difficult today by self-help books and seminars, advertisements and entertainment that fill our minds with bolstering our self-confidence. Pride flees when we compare ourselves to God instead of to other people. Humility causes us to look outward to others, and most of all upward to God.