The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.
Pride is essentially competitive in nature. As Paul said, they “seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.”
The proud cannot accept the authority of God giving direction to their lives. (See Hel. 12:6.) They pit their perceptions of truth against God’s great knowledge, their abilities versus God’s priesthood power, their accomplishments against His mighty works.
Our enmity toward God takes on many labels, such as rebellion, hard-heartedness, stiff-neckedness, unrepentant, puffed up, easily offended, and sign seekers. The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren’t interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s.
pride is enmity toward our fellowmen. We are tempted daily to elevate ourselves above others and diminish them. The proud stand more in fear of men’s judgment than of God’s judgment.
“Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Fear of men’s judgment manifests itself in competition for men’s approval. The proud love “the praise of men more than the praise of God”
Pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others but is rarely admitted in ourselves.
There is one common ailment among us—and that is pride from the bottom looking up. It is manifest in so many ways, such as faultfinding, gossiping, backbiting, murmuring, living beyond our means, envying, coveting, withholding gratitude and praise that might lift another, and being unforgiving and jealous.
Disobedience is essentially a prideful power struggle against someone in authority over us. It can be a parent, a priesthood leader, a teacher, or ultimately God. A proud person hates the fact that someone is above him.
self-conceit, self-pity, worldly self-fulfillment, self-gratification, and self-seeking. … Another face of pride is contention. Arguments, fights, unrighteous dominion, generation gaps, divorces, spouse abuse, riots, and disturbances all fall into this category of pride.
Contention ranges from a hostile spoken word to worldwide conflicts. The scriptures tell us that “only by pride cometh contention”
The scriptures testify that the proud are easily offended and hold grudges. (See 1 Ne. 16:1–3.) They withhold forgiveness to keep another in their debt and to justify their injured feelings.
The proud do not receive counsel or correction easily. (See Prov. 15:10; Amos 5:10.) Defensiveness is used by them to justify and rationalize their frailties and failures.
The proud depend upon the world to tell them whether they have value or not. I never thought of that as being prideful. (hmm...)
If we love God, do His will, and fear His judgment more than men’s, we will have self-esteem.
When pride has a hold on our hearts, we lose our independence of the world and deliver our freedoms to the bondage of men’s judgment. (What a profound statement. IMO).
The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness. (See Alma 7:23.) It is the broken heart and contrite spirit.
And most importantly of all: Unity is impossible for a proud people, and unless we are one we are not the Lord’s.
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Awesome article. Guess I have some work to do. Some of these things I would not have thought of as being PRIDEFUL.
