08/31/2026
Pride may be the most dangerous of the passions because it is so skilled at hiding itself.
Other sins are often easier to recognize. Pride can disguise itself as righteousness, wisdom, zeal... even virtue.
We can become proud of our prayers, proud of our good works, proud of what we know, proud of observing correctly what others neglect. And thus even good things, if we are not watchful, can become occasions for our fall.
Scripture reminds us that "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
The way of humility therefore begins with a simple truth: without God, we can do nothing.
Humility is not base self-contempt, nor does it mean that we ourselves have no dignity. Far from it! It simply teaches us to see things as they truly are, and to receive every gift with gratitude rather than claiming it as our own greatness.
And the more we learn humility, the more clearly we begin to see ourselves, our neighbor, and God. We no longer need to prove ourselves better than someone else. We can repent without making excuses. We can learn without being ashamed that we did not already know. We can recognize goodness in another without feeling diminished by it. We can preserve what is precious without despising those who do not yet understand it.
Then prayer, fasting, worship, good works, and all the outward practices of the Christian life begin to bear their proper fruit.
For the purpose of these things was never to convince us that we are righteous. It was to lead us to Christ. And the nearer we draw to Him, the less need we have to think ourselves greater than anyone else.
