Pride is sometimes okay?

Boasting protects the ego, draws attention to me, and gives me a sense of importance. For the most part, the Word of God describes pride and boasting as sinful attitudes and actions that I am not supposed to have or do.

However, I’ve learned that pride has two faces. One is putting myself on a pedestal, and the other is putting myself down. The first is easy to recognize, but the negative extreme is less obvious, even though putting myself down is just as self-centered. When I downgrade what I am and what I do so I will appear humble, that is as much an attention-getting device as boasting. True humility is not about putting myself down; it is not thinking of myself at all.

Not only that, God is at work in my life and I think of that t-shirt that says, “God does not make junk.” If I am downgrading myself, could I be downgrading the work of God?

The Apostle Paul wrote, “But by the grace of God I am what I am,” to acknowledge the Lord’s work of grace in His life. He was not focusing on his sinful self. Sometimes it is appropriate to do that, but confessing how sinful I am can be just as vain as telling everyone how good I am.

This morning I read the following verses and noted that Paul realized there is a place for a different kind of pride. He encouraged the Christians at Philippi to press on in their spiritual growth. (Note that his words are not about ‘working for’ salvation, but ‘working out’ the saving grace God had put in them). He said:

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” (Philippians 2:12–16, italics mine)

He wanted these believers to recognize that God was at work in them and to cooperate with Him, letting His will become their will. He didn’t want them to grumble or fight because both are not reflections of the Lord’s will. Instead, he wanted them to shine, to be lights for others, and to stick to what the Word of God says. The reason Paul wanted those things in their lives — so he could take pride in his work of ministry to them, so he could know that work was not a waste of time!

I know that feeling. A few months ago, the Holy Spirit urged me to give a quilt to a lady who had cancer. I barely knew her, but her husband later told me that she was never without it, that it gave her great comfort until she finally went to be with Jesus. His gratitude was a blessing to me and one example of the personal satisfaction of doing the will of God and seeing the results.

The Bible says we ought to walk by faith, not by sight, yet God’s grace sometimes lets us see into His workings. When He does that, I feel encouraged that my efforts are not in vain. Without these occasional bursts of light, keeping on course would be far more challenging.

Not only that, if I interpreted the feelings of pride in the results was a sinful attitude, it would be like shooting myself in the foot, even worse, putting down the Spirit of God. In other words, if the Holy Spirit says, “Well done” or “Good job,” saying “No” or “Who me?” in response would be a denial of His evaluation.

The Bible says I must not deny the work of God’s Spirit. “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19) and “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30) He does not boast, but He does come alongside and cheer His people along.

^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I can hear You saying to stop beating myself up, something I tend to do often. Instead, You are saying I need to rejoice in what You are doing and have done. By Your grace, I am what I am.