On Pride Benjamin Franklin in “The Autobiography” writes these lines:

“Most people dislike vanity in others whatever share they have of it themselves, but I give it fair quarter wherever I meet with it, being persuaded that it is often productive of good to the posssessor and to others that are within his sphere of action.”

So Franklin thinks that vanity is a good thing.  I think that often the issue of pride is an interesting one.  In Christian thinking we believe that “pride comes before the fall.”  Yet in the eyes of many secular people, pride is an appropriate thing if it can be backed up. See Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.  Neitzsche believed that pride was a positive quality, and only became a negative quality when those who had nothing to be proud of were resentful of those who did have something to be proud of.

So what about pride makes it a negative quality?  I suppose it comes from a definition of the word pride.  There are a few definitions of pride.

1. A sense of one’s own proper dignity or value; self-respect.
2. Pleasure or satisfaction taken in an achievement, possession, or association: parental pride. 
3. Arrogant or disdainful conduct or treatment; haughtiness.
4. An excessively high opinion of oneself; conceit. 

The first definition of pride, I think nobody would object to.  As Christians, we are supposed to recognize our own value.  We are children of God.  That is our boast.

The second definition most seculars would not object to.  I think most Christians would not object to it either.  Should we however be “proud” of ourselves?  Christians are supposed to give credit to God for any of our accomplishments.  We are not supposed to take credit for it for ourselves.  What can we accomplish without God?

The third definition is the most troublesome.  Some non Christians may say that if a person IS better, they have the right to act better.  Again in Christianity nobody is better than anybody else.  God values us equally.  Someone may achieve something but it is not their achievement, it is God’s.  Actually some non-Christians may agree with this also. No achievement is actually due to inherent qualities that one person has over another. More on this in another entry.

The fourth definition, everyone agrees upon.  Nobody wants to have an excessively high opinion of oneself. We want to evaluate ourselves in a correct light.  However, I think this form of pride is the one that the bible talks about most often.  For a non-Christian it is probably very difficult to identify when we have crossed the line into excessive value of oneself.  It is difficult for Christians.  This is the most dangerous form of pride, and the one that I personally struggle with the most.