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228 August 15th
No-Win Situations
Satan is masterful at creating no-win situations. He does everything he can to create an environment where we feel utterly less-than, insecure, and afraid. As we try to climb out of these various holes, whenever we start to feel a little bit better about ourselves, then Satan tells us we are being prideful. When we feel prideful, we slip back into the hole of desperation and helplessness because we are right back where we started. See what I mean by a no-win situation.
We what are we to do? Probably the best place to start is by defining the word pride. According to Merriam-Webster, pride is:
· Conceit – This is how most of us would define pride. This form of pride is sinful. It is self-centered self-aggrandizement and self-promotion. It is a first cousin to arrogance.
· Haughty behavior: distain
· Ostentatious display
However, there are other definitions of pride (same source). Pride is:
· Justifiable self-respect
· Elation over an act or possession
In a conversation with a friend, he revealed one of his “no-win” situations (much like the one described earlier). Even before I had researched the definition of “pride,” I mentioned that it is not a bad thing or a sinful thing to be pleased about one’s performance; “proud” of one’s children; or proud of an exceptional God-given, personal characteristic. I thought about what God must have felt at the end of each day of Creation. Whatever God accomplished on any particular day, He repeatedly looked at His handiwork and said that it was good. In essence, God was proud of each act of Creation. He possessed a “justifiable self-respect” and He felt “elation” over each creative act and possession. Theologically, Christians believe that God is without sin, so when He expressed His “pride,” He was not sinning. Therefore, we can express the good kind of pride without sinning.
Another point of interest: two of the first three definitions listed in the dictionary were positive. “Conceit” was listed first, and then the two good definitions followed. Interesting! To hear Christians talk about pride, one would think all pride is evil and forbidden. No wonder so many of us struggle with low self-esteem. (Isn’t Satan a sly dog?)
So, let’s just clear the air. It is ok for you to be pleased (feel proud) of an accomplishment. You know that the only way you were able to achieve your goal was because God had given you the ability in the first place. It is ok for you to be proud of your kids and to be proud for your kids. It is ok to be elated or proud of an act or a possession.
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