Love Is Not Proud
When I read “love is not proud” in 1 Corinthians 13:4, my mind jumps to a quote from the beloved Jane Austen novel, Pride & Prejudice, when Mr. Darcy says “Vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride - where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will always be under regulation.”
I had to look up the definitions to understand the difference between vanity and pride. Pride itself can be defined as a feeling of satisfaction or pleasure in one’s accomplishments or personal qualities; whereas vanity is defined as excessive pride.
In spite of the definition of pride, it can still be difficult to define, and can even feel intangible at times.
For instance, can pride be defined in a way that is applicable to our everyday life, even though we are all different and our circumstances change? Since there are indeed many different personality traits and unique circumstances to take into account when considering pridefulness, it is important to know the truth about pride, which is found in what the Bible says.
The Bible contains many verses focused on pride and the dangers of being prideful. It describes pride as a condition of our heart and speaks on the consequences of pridefulness.
“The Lord detests all of the proud of heart. Be sure of this: they will not go unpunished.” -Proverbs 16:5
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”-Luke 14:11
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”-1 Peter 5:6
Yet, while further researching scriptures about pride, I came across one passage of scripture that made me have to stop, re-read and pray over it numerous times.
Instead of talking about the fall and punishments of the proud, it instead acknowledges that we can have pride. When I first read it, my thought was,”I'm sorry but what?!”.
The passage is in Galatians 6. This chapter of the Bible is all about caring for each other, holding each other accountable, having pride, doing good, and pleasing the Spirit.
In this passage, it is seen that pride can be useful when we take the gifts and talents God has given us, not to be boastful or vain, but to grow ourselves and others in the Lord. At first, I wondered if what this passage says about pride was contradictory to all the other verses about pride. I genuinely struggled to understand how it fit into the Word of God and what it says about pride.
In Galatians 6:4-5, his Word tells us,
“Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each should carry their own load.” -Galatians 6:4-5
It is crucial not to take Bible verses out of their overall context. The passages before these particular verses are about holding each other accountable, carrying the burdens of others, and not trying to be something other than what you are.
Many people pride themselves on something. Maybe you are a dedicated employee and proud of your work ethic and contributions. Maybe you have done well at getting healthier. Maybe it’s something about your appearance. Maybe it is an accomplishment that you've worked hard to achieve. Regardless of what it is, it is natural for us to pride ourselves in some way, shape, or form. But at what point does our pride become sinfulness and our downfall?
Galatians 6:4 encourages us to test our actions before it talks about pride. A test, in the simplest of definitions, is taking learned experience or knowledge and proving that you can apply and reiterate that knowledge in some form or fashion. But this is where the Biblical definition of testing differs from our understanding of what a test is.
In God’s Word, a test is a measure of our soul, and not experience or knowledge. When we test our actions, we are also testing why we do the things we do. Many times, testing in the Bible was used to show susceptibility to sin and to show the unfitness and weakness of our souls when compared to the purity and faithfulness of God. Through testing, we realize the inadequacy of our souls, inevitably leading to remorse and confession, as well as strengthening of our souls and faith through the work of our Lord.
When we test our actions, we also have a better understanding of our hearts. We are more inclined to see our actions and motivations through the view of eternity and Christ’s sacrifice. When being tested, we ask questions, trusting in the knowledge of God. We seek his guidance and approval.
Every test yields a result. When we are tested in class, we are given a grade based on our performance. When we are tested by God, we do not receive a grade but receive an abundance of his grace.
Immediately following the instruction to test our actions, this passage encourages believers to
“take pride in themselves alone and not to compare themselves to someone else.”
We can indeed rejoice, be happy, and take pride in who God made us to be and what he has called us to be. We offer ourselves up for his gain and glory instead of our own. When we rest in the knowledge of who God has made us be, we have no need or want to be anyone or anything else.
If God has given you the gift of hospitality, you can rejoice in being able to offer your home to others, making them feel welcome and loved. If God has given you the gift of teaching, you can take pride in the fact that you have been given this particular gift to help others who need to be taught. A person to whom God has given the gift of teaching has no reason to envy the person God has given hospitality to, and vice versa.
Included in this passage, we are also called to “carry our own load” in verse 5. Again, this passage stumped me and seemed contradictory to passages of scripture that tell us, very clearly, to carry the loads of others. After all, Jesus carried the load of our sin to the cross. Even in this same passage of scripture of Galatians 6, verse 2 tells us to “carry each other’s burdens.” So, how can we both carry the burdens of others while also carrying our own?
Simply put, we can trust that God will give us strength to carry both our burdens and burdens of others. We can do all this by trusting that God will bring the strength and peace that is needed into our hearts. We know and have faith that ultimately, it is not us carrying anything but God carrying it all for us. We learn to depend on him to make us who we are so we can do his work. We can give freely and carry wisely.
After all, we, as believers, are likened to the body of Christ with each one being a unique part of it. When we understand our part in the body of Christ, we are better equipped to serve. We can have pride in not only being a part of the body of Christ, but being a functioning part. When we understand and take pride in the role God has given us and who he has made us to be, we can help others and carry their burdens with understanding and grace.
Our pride is then not in who we are or what we can do, but instead, how we can be used to further God’s kingdom and strengthen the body of Christ. We can indeed take pride in who God has created us to be. We know that God has created us to be unique, with special skills, talents, and personalities. We are never to value ourselves so highly that we do not acknowledge our need for Jesus. We are called to use who we are and what we have been given to further God’s kingdom. When we do these things, we are doing as scripture encourages to “boast in the Lord and not ourselves” (1 Corinthians 1:31).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrea Buie grew up as a South Carolina girl who currently lives in Georgia but her heart is in Colorado. She lived in CO for 5 years and was able to work for a Christian worldview organization called Summit Ministries. Her marriage is an example of how it's great to wait for God's perfect timing. She didn't get married until she was 40 and has never regretted the wait since her husband is perfect for her. Together, they have a furbaby named Maya and they love to take her on walks at the park near their home in Atlanta.