Pride, we all hate it. We shudder to admit that we are proud, or we proudly flaunt it to get attention. Either way, as Christians, we are taught to hate pride and do all we can to crush it into humility. This is a worthy goal, BUT....
What's this? you might be thinking--there are no ifs, ands, or buts when it comes to pride. I disagree, and so does Paul.
I was reading Galatians for my Bible Study today and came across a verse in chapter 6 that I was not familiar with. I've read the whole Bible, and most of it I've read multiple times, but this passage seemed to leap out at me in a way that it had never done before.
"Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load." ~Galatians 6:4-5
This was in the section about carrying one another's burdens. But look at that! It says that we are to take pride in ourselves. Woah! What are you talking about Paul? Are you crazy?! We can't be prideful! That's a sin!! False.
Pride in oneself is not wrong. But look at how Paul sets it up, we are to take pride in ourselves, testing our actions against ourselves, NOT others. This is so often where our pride is found, in feeling that we are better than others. That is where boasting comes from too, which Paul goes on in chapter six to bash saying that our only boast should be in Christ. I believe that pride in our personal growth, in our good deeds, and in ourselves as children of God is not only allowed, but necessary. Self-confidence that we are growing in Christ and made in His image, and even in our accomplishments is needed. Otherwise, we tell God over and over that His progress in us, and His very creation of us was broken and not good enough. Our self-esteem and pride should come from God and who we are in Him, not by making ourselves feel better than others.
As women, I know that this can be a challenge. So often, I see someone who seems to have it all, beauty (inside and out), some skill I wish I was better at, a good group of friends, a significant other, and a seemingly perfect life. This makes me feel inferior and I can either find things about them that I can do better, or I find a bunch of other people who I can raise myself above. This does not always happen, but sometimes it does. Even a thing as simple as a woman having a larger chest than me can make me feel inferior and feel the need to find something that I have which she doesn't. This is the wrong kind of pride.
This is Satan's twisting of something God meant for good. So, let's kick Satan down and take pride in ourselves, the right way! By finding our pride in God and our own selves, not in how we are better than others.
