by Amanda Vande Zande

Created on: November 29, 2009

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. - Psalm 16:18

These words ring loud and true. Pride has become the norm for our society, and we all suffer from it in one form or another. In small doses, pride isn't a bad thing. It helps build our confidence levels, when we show our school spirit, or when our boss gives us a nice pat on the back for a job well done. We even get a nice sense of pride when we've completed a household chore or when we've picked out that perfect gift for someone that you know that they will just love. This type of pride is good and helps us to keep going in our everyday lives. That sense that we are important or needed that all of us require.

However, to that same degree that we are important or needed, there are those among us that like to rape us of that glory. The prideful people that have no compassion on a homeless man or any tolerance for someone struggling with a drug or alcohol problem. The people that have life all figured out, and are content in their perfection. Like the pharisee that praised God that he wasn't like the publican, because the publican was so humble, that he wouldn't even raise his head. The people that I know like this, that have no compassion, are alone and angry.

Does anyone ever say when they are children, I want to be bitter when I grow up. Yet, years of pride can cause this very effect. The truth is that we need to humble ourselves before each other, and before God. If we hide our mistakes and shortcomings our of fear of what other people may think, and dance ourselves around in this bubble of false perfection, it will inevitably destroy us. You have to be honest, with yourself, with your fellow man and with God. You must look at yourself in the mirror everyday and ask the question..."is the life I'm living a lie?"

If we can set our pride aside, and give people the pride they need to better themselves, rather than tear them down. If we can lift each other up, and help each other out. We would have a much more peaceful place to live. If we can separate the "I have and you don't, so I am better than you" mentality and accept and embrace people with all of their imperfections, we could maybe reach a place of tolerance and forgiveness here on earth. If we would truly help our neighbors and neighborhoods, maybe our communities would come together instead of drifting further apart. Are there any communities left anymore, and isn't this it's own form of pride.

These are the effects of pride from one humble person.

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