Good and bad pride.
Most often the Bible and Christians talk about pride as a sin.
Indeed, there is an abundance of scripture that condemns pride!
Is there a good pride? It seems so. That’s because the English language (maybe all languages?) have limitations on the meanings of words.
Sometimes we use the word proud when we are grateful, thankful, joyful, glad, pleased, or happy. Some examples: I’m so proud of your achievement! I’m so proud that I survived. I’m so proud I’m strong. These are a good kind of ‘pride’.
Are there any examples like that in the scriptures? Maybe. Maybe we could think of these as examples of being good ‘proud’. Twice God said of Jesus: “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased…” This is Matt. 13:17 and Matt. 17:5, at Jesus’ baptism and at the transfiguration. In 2 Cor. 7:4, Paul wrote of boasting, not in the context of it being sinful: “Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.” It seems there are things we can boast about and be proud of!
Of course, there is also that bad pride. This is that pride when we think we are so much better than others, that we have contempt for them. Sometimes that kind of pride is very obvious. Sometimes it’s very subtle, as in, ‘I would never do that!’ That might be a disguised way of saying, ‘I’m so much better than them!”
It could be that we think we are too good for the circumstances. ‘That should never happen to me!’
Too good to have to deal with it
Too good to have to do that work
Too good
Above others
Above God
As we examine our hearts about good pride and bad pride, here’s a surprising scripture about pride. What was the sin of Sodom? Here’s what the scripture says: “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness…neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.”
May the Lord help us to know our hearts. Give all of our heart to Him.