Spiritual Pride

Spiritual pride. What is it? Do you have it? And how do you get rid of it?

Pride is a sneaky little snake that worms its way into our lives without us even noticing. It can take many forms but one type of pride is spiritual pride. This is not an exhaustive definition but spiritual pride can refer to looking down on others as if you are spiritually superior to them. It as if you are correct and they are wrong. You've hit the target but they have missed.

The Bible says that we should not judge others but does that mean that we are never to have an opinion or test the spirits? Some things are very obviously wrong and it is ok to say so BUT at the same time we have to be careful not to condemn our brothers and sisters and still walk in love with them because they are a work in progress as we all are.

Jesus did not shy away from calling people out for their sins. The woman taken in adultery is a very good example (John 8: 3-11). Did Jesus ignore that there was sin? No, He addressed it, but did He condemn the woman? No, He forgave her and instructed her to 'sin no more' lest a worse thing come upon her. Jesus did not deny what was wrong but He also did not hone in on the sin, He honed in on the solution. HE IS THE SOLUTION. He didn't lecture the woman, He didn't list her sins one by one and tell her how bad they were, He didn't condemn her. He loved her and forgave her and that love was more powerful to get her to change than any ultimatum or condemnation would have been.

What would happen if we dealt with every situation we thought was wrong, with love. By love, I don't mean wishy-washy, pat-on-the-back, there-there, kind of love. Love can be tough also. But if we are coming from an angle of genuine love, we will not want to condemn another human being, we would want to correct in love. We would want to hone in on the solution not the sin. We would want to make them God-conscious not Sin-conscious.

So next time you find yourself judging another ask yourself these questions:

Am I walking in love? - Do I want what's best for them or is this an opportunity to show off how good I am in this area? If we are strong in a particular area we should be helping others in it by lifting them up and encouraging them not lording it over them, because for every area of strength we have, we usually have about ten other areas of weakness. Also, remember how many times you fell in that area before you got strong and God picked you up and gave you chance after chance. Just because you are strong now it's not your doing but the grace of God in you. Be careful not to lord it over someone else.

Is it my place to correct? - Often we see something wrong and we feel that WE should be the ones to do something. That can be spiritual pride. The question to ask is who gave you the mandate and is it your mission to correct this wrong in someone else? Have you removed the beam from your own eye first? (Matthew 7:3-5) There was a time I felt I had to fix everything and EVERYONE and I felt God tell me 'Who died and made you God?'. He very plainly reminded me that HE is the Saviour not me and also if I cared that much for people I should pray for them not preach to them. My job is to love them and if and only IF an occasion arises where they bring something up to me, then I can say something discreetly back to them once I have gained their trust but even then God would want me to show grace and walk in love.

I had a situation once where an old friend of mine was planning to get married abroad. I hadn't seen her for a few years and we had just been reunited. I knew deep down in my gut that the marriage was wrong and risky, even dangerous for her (she was to get married in her husband's country without any of her family, including any of her seven kids). I was so troubled by this and feared for her safety so I asked God what to do and if I should say something, after all it was on the tip of my tongue! Do you know what God said to me? These were His very words: "You have not earned the right to speak into this woman's life. You have not gained her trust and you have no authority’ I knew what He meant. I hadn't established a relationship over the years where I can speak into this woman's life. Who was I to come in out of the blue and tell her what to do? I had no right and even if I was right to be concerned, she probably wouldn't listen to me and become offended with me because who am I? So what did I do? I went off and prayed earnestly that the wedding wouldn’t happen and you know what? It didn't. The man was exposed for what he was. There was heartbreak but at least she was safe.

Understand this: sometimes you can be right in what you are sensing but it isn't always your job to do something about it or it isn't the right time and if we care enough about people we should pray first and foremost. Ask God to bring labourers to speak to those people who will have a greater impact than you because they have established a relationship with them and have the right to speak into them. We should also walk in love and not judge because we may not know the whole story as to why they are doing what they are doing. Often people’s circumstances can explain (not excuse), their predicament.

The amount of times that God has pulled me up in the past about people is endless. He always points out that I don't know where people are at, what they are going through or what they have been through and what other factors are influencing them and their situation.

What is my motive? - We really must be careful what we think and how we think of others and be careful that we do not judge based on our success in a particular area or based on our opinion about a subject. We must also not think that we are the only person that can help or that without our guidance that person will miss it and fall.

Most of all, we must, absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt, be operating out of love. Whatever we do, even correction, should be out of a heart of redemptive love just like our Saviour, not so that we can point the finger.

God is very patient with people and even when I have struggled with situations that I know are wrong and have not even wanted to pray for people doing bad things God has pulled me up and reminded me that those people who have come short are His children and if they were my children wouldn’t I want to pray for them?

So pray. Don't judge. Walk in love. And be led by the Spirit. If you have to be strong, God will lead you but 9 times out of 10 God requires mercy and for you to be an example of forgivess and love.

Also, remember your short comings. No one is perfect and we all fall down. Be careful not think of yourself more highly than you ought to (Romans 12:3). It's by the grace of God go we all.

'Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: For there is no respect of persons with God.'

Romans 2:2-11

Lots of love,

Oceans