Where Pride Hides: A Long List of Hiding Places
Drawn from the teaching of Professor Gary S. Maxey · 2 min read
Most people say they are not proud. Professor Gary Maxey says that is part of the problem. In his book on the Highway of Holiness, he writes that he once carried a strong and quiet belief that he was better than others. He prayed more, he thought. He evangelized more. He was more faithful to the house of God. He even imagined he could pastor the church better than his elders. He says his pride was at least six feet deep, and for a long time he could not see it.
The places he names
Professor Maxey lists the hiding places of pride, and the list reads like a check-up.
Pride over morality, like the Pharisee who thanked God he was not like other men. Pride over family or clan. Pride over ethnic or tribal identity, when we secretly believe one people is superior to another. Pride over musical ability, preaching, clothing, academic marks, a position in the family, the church or the company, a new motorcycle or car, leadership, reputation. He adds the pride that refuses to clean floors or toilets.
He notes that being thankful for God's blessings is one thing. Turning them into a reason to look down on others is another.
Why he calls pride a killer
Professor Maxey writes that if God cannot deal a killing blow to our pride, the journey on the Highway of Holiness slows to a snail's pace and might be scuttled altogether. We may succeed in the church world, he says, but we will never amount to more than twenty percent of what God intends.
Testimony from a former student
He quotes his former student, Pastor Ignatius Arrey of Cameroon, who wrote about God dealing with his pride during a search for heart purity. After more than twenty years, Arrey said, the cleansing had helped him be focused, steady, holy, humble and productive.
What to do with the list
Do not read the list for your neighbor. Read it for yourself. Mark the three items that touch you. Ask God to show you the thought behind each. Then, in the next conversation where the pride appears, say nothing about yourself, and listen instead.
Drawn from the teaching of Professor Gary S. Maxey.
