Are you a candidate of pride?

If you are exalted above your neighbors because you have gold, how inferior are you to a gold mine?

Today, let us talk about pride. This is undoubtedly a topic that many don’t want to come across. Why? High-end and low-key people have been victims of pride. It cuts across all boards. I am a good reader of the Bible. I believe in the things of God. After all, the universe came from somewhere. It is pride that brought satan around; I will not go deep into that but emphasize how serious this monster can be.

It is difficult for one to know whether they are proud or not. Pride never accepts defeat and always exalts one above all else. So the moment you find yourself not accepting corrections, always flaunting your accomplishments and being aggressive anytime one tries to outshine you, just know pride is in you.

Mostly when we have fewer responsibilities and little influence, pride seems to hide from us. Although it is not easy to remain humble, especially when one is in power and has influence. One is definitely a candidate of pride when you are wealthy with huge followership.

What can one do to ensure pride does not consume them?

1. Learn to listen more and talk less- Never shut someone down before they finish their sentence.
2. Be introspective but don’t be too hard on yourself.
3. Admit that you don’t know everything and avoid creating mental and personality blocks.
4. Realize that you have been given the very thing that you are boastful about.
5. Realize that pride is ugly, humility is beautiful.
6. Seek feedback.
7. Forget the I, Me, Myself attitude.
8. Read the Bible.

The biggest downfall of a man is pride. We all know pride comes before a fall. From the saying, it is evident that pride is associated with failure. But why is it easy to note when someone else is full of pride yet so hard to notice when it is happening to oneself? . Is it a case of first removing the log in your own eye, or is it merely ignorance?

Most people affected by pride seem to be unaware of how proud they are. The recipients of their pride sit in wait for their downfall. These are some factors that can invite pride in your well being:

• You think you are humble
• You do not accept constructive criticism
• You always want to be the center of attention
• You don’t like associating with the ordinary or the unpopular
• You are fond of name dropping- always mentioning how you are connected to big names
• You are not teachable
  
  We are all proud, but we should never let pride consume us. As John Selden puts it, “Pride may be allowed to this or that degree. Else a man cannot keep up his dignity”.

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