The Ugly Sin of Pride

Pride like many words in the English language can have both a good and bad meaning. Taking pride in a job well done is a healthy attitude to have. However, having a self-righteous pride is something God hates because it takes credit for something God has accomplished and seeks to steal the glory that alone belongs to Him. In the final analysis pride is essentially self-worship and it always proves to be a great hindrance to seeking God. (Psalm 10:4) states this quite clearly: “In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” Prideful people, sadly, are often so blinded by the truth that they think they have no need of God.

Obviously, pride can have deadly eternal consequences, because pride often prevents people from admitting their sin and need for Christ. But pride can also have deadly consequences in this life as the following true story illustrates.

A scientist that few of you may ever have heard about was the Hungarian physician Ignaz Semmelweis (1818-1865). The Bible says in (Proverbs 16:18): “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before stumbling.” The truth of this statement is vividly shown in the following real-life historical tragedy.

Semmelweis was quite interested in a very puzzling disease called childbed fever. In his research, Semmelweis observed that many women bearing children in the hospitals of Vienna, where the best educated doctors could be found, died of very high fevers shortly after giving birth. He also observed that women bearing children at home, with the help of uneducated midwives, rarely died.

He determined that the doctors were the ones responsible for spreading the disease. It was common practice back then for a doctor to be working in the dissecting room and immediately afterward, move to the delivery room without carefully washing and cleaning his hands. Semmelweis, in 1847, began forcing the doctors under his charge to wash their hands in strong chemicals before touching any patients.

Many of these highly qualified doctors flatly refused to wash their hands and resented being thought the cause of spreading this disease. It became a question of pride. When the doctors washed their hands, the childbed fever rate went down. When they didn’t, needless lives were lost. This was truly a black day for modern medicine. The doctors during Semmelweis’ time knew that they were wrong, but their pride caused them to hide and suppress the truth.

The attitude that God loves is to be lowly in spirit and humble in heart. (Proverbs 16:19) tells us: “Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.” And we also read: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17).

I know in my own life the turning point came when I realized that all of the good works, I did through my volunteer activities were selfishly motivated. I was looking for meaning in life and I thought that by doing good works that I would find the meaning I was looking for. Notice everything, I did was focused primarily, first and foremost, on me. And praise God the Holy Spirit, in a moment of crushing insight, revealed to me that I was spiritually bankrupt and in desperate need of a Savior. And on October 12, 1981, I humbled myself and invited Jesus into my heart. Oh, what a glorious day – when I died to self and pride and became alive in Christ.

My friends, take time to examine your heart and if there is any root of pride there, reject and eject it and ask God to keep you lowly and humble. When we do this, we can give God all the glory that He so rightfully deserves!