The allure of pride

Whether we realize or not, we as Christians, are in a constant spiritual battle. I have come to realize that probably the most difficult battle we are facing is the battle with ourselves, defeating our own pride. It is so much ingrained in our own carnality, and so much part of who we are, that we have become blind do it.

In any group of people, a workplace, or even in a church, we see this competitive dynamic developing naturally – a mindset of one-upmanship. There is a sense in which each one is striving to be better than the next one. This almost subconscious way of thinking tends to take the center stage in our lives, becoming the focus of our efforts, of our existence. Our sense of identity and our sense of worth seems to be wrapped around this notion of superiority compared to others, in an unending quest to prove ourselves. Even the disciples were not immune to the allure of pride, arguing among themselves about who is going to be in charge, dominating the others when Jesus is gone.

If we look around. we clearly see the pattern in our churches – a fierce fight for supremacy, for the pulpit, for the authority that comes with it. There is power in it that tickles the ego. Chasing this power and prestige is like worshiping a false idol – our own SELF. Like the Pharisees, a lot of us tend to parade our spirituality as a public display, while deep inside, the force driving our actions and our agenda is nothing but pride. Some are even proud of their spirituality.

It all comes down to not allowing the Holy Spirit to regenerate us. What should define a true spiritual leader is not the so much craved authority over others, that comes with some man-made titles, but rather a humble and sincere heart of a servant. This true humility extinguishes the pride, the two cannot coexist. Jesus said: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and those in high position exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant, and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

A pastor turned dictator, or sort of a cult figure, completely missed the meaning of Jesus’s teaching. There is a pattern of constant church splitting driven, I dare say, by one thing: pride – a sinful desire to be in charge, to call the shots. There is this inability to stay together as one church and have fellowship with each other, without the obsession of breaking apart and starting yet another church – my own.

It is time to wake up, to look deeply into our souls and question our motivations. It is time to dethrone the SELF idol from the pedestal we erected in our own hearts. The first and most difficult step is to acknowledge our own pride. May God help us.

Nick Rosioru – May 25^th 2023

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