Jason Silver

Friday, February 21st, 2020

In my younger years, I struggled with pride. I told myself that I was special, that I was better than other people. In retrospect, it was a ridiculous belief to hold (of course!): I was inferior to others in so many ways. I was not at all self confident, but rather, racked with insecurity! I magnified the importance of things I could do well, in order to diminish the things I was embarrassed about. Perhaps my pride was some sort of defense mechanism to cover up these feelings of inadequacy.

Whatever the reason for having pride, it is wrong. Not only is it untruthful, it is hateful at it's core: someone who thinks more highly of themselves than they should, necessarily thinks less of others!

When David wrote this song, was he referring to some specific moment when he was accused of being prideful? Perhaps when he was discovered as a shepherd boy, and anointed as King by Samuel? Maybe his brothers called him arrogant when he said he could kill Goliath? Maybe his wife Michal, the daughter of Saul had something to say about his attitude when he danced before the ark of the covenant?

Holding onto pride can be like a child holding onto a favourite blanket. Pride becomes a crutch for us- we think we need it to survive. We tell ourselves what we want to be true about our own value and importance, so we don't have to face our failings and our weaknesses. Pride actually becomes a substitute for faith!

So why do we hold on to it? Let's face it: pride is fake. It's inauthentic, it's lacking in vulnerability. It's a sure way to sabotage intimacy.

So what is the answer? Perhaps it's summed up in the last verse of this Psalm. Maybe instead of holding on to pride, we should seek to rest in hope.

O Israel, hope in the Lord
from this time on and for evermore.

Amen