Pride is the worst sin we can commit, and most of us don't even realize
we're drowning in it. Every spiritual teacher throughout history agrees on
this: pride is the root of all our other sins. It's not lust, greed, or anger
that destroys us first, it's pride. Thomas Aquinas called it "excessive
self-love," but it's really more than that. Pride is when we curve inward
on ourselves, when we become so wrapped up in our own little world that we lose
touch with reality. We start believing we're the best at everything, that
nobody is quite as good as us, that we need to stay ahead of everyone else. And
here's the trap: once you start thinking this way, you spend your whole life
defending that position, making sure everyone knows how outstanding you are.
But here's what we miss: nobody actually cares. While you're obsessed with
being the best and staying on top, everyone around you is too busy worrying
about their own reputation to notice yours. We're all running this exhausting
race, trying to impress people who aren't watching because they're doing the
same thing. Pride always leads to arrogance, and arrogance always leads to
isolation. You end up living in a tiny, cramped space where everything revolves
around you, your image, your status, your achievements. It's like being trapped
in a black hole that pulls everything inward. And the worst part? You can't
approach God when you're this full of yourself. You're too proud to admit you
need Him.
Humility is not optional; it's the only way we can come before our Lord.
Scripture is absolutely clear about this. James 4:6 says, "God opposes the
proud but gives grace to the humble." Think about that. When we're
prideful, God Himself stands against us. But when we're humble, His grace flows
freely. First Peter 5:5 echoes this: "Clothe yourselves with humility
toward one another, because God opposes the proud but shows favor to the
humble." Jesus said in Matthew 23:12, "Whoever exalts himself will be
humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." This isn't a suggestion;
it's the fundamental reality of how the spiritual life works. You cannot be
close to Jesus while you're busy promoting yourself.
Humility means understanding who God is and who you are. The word comes from
"humus," meaning soil or ground. To be humble is to be grounded in
reality, to see things as they truly are. A humble person knows that God is God,
and they are not. They know that everything good they have is a gift, not
something they manufactured on their own. Proverbs 11:2 says, "When pride
comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom." Humble people
are actually the wisest people because they can see clearly. They're not
blinded by their own inflated sense of importance. They can receive correction,
learn from others, and grow. Most importantly, they can receive God's love
because they're not too busy performing to notice it.
Here's the beautiful truth about humility: it sets you free. When you stop
trying to be the best, stop worrying about what everyone thinks, stop climbing
over people to get to the top, you can finally breathe. The happiest moments in
your life happen when you forget about yourself entirely. When you're not
monitoring your image or defending your reputation, you're actually present to
life. You can love people without calculating what you'll get back. You can
serve without needing recognition. You can fail without it destroying you.
Jesus demonstrated this perfectly. Philippians 2:6-8 tells us that though He
was God, "He made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a
servant... he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a
cross." If Jesus, the Son of God, chose humility, how can we possibly
justify our pride?
The choice is simple but not easy: stay trapped in the prison of pride or walk
in the freedom of humility. Jesus tells us in the Gospel to take the lowest
seat, not because He wants to humiliate us, but because He wants to liberate
us. Stop playing the game of self-promotion. Stop bragging about yourself and
start pointing people to Christ. Stop making everything about you and start
making everything about Him. When our Lord is first in your life, not you, everything
falls into place. Romans 12:3 warns us, "Do not think of yourself more
highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment."
That's humility: seeing yourself accurately, seeing God clearly, and living in
the freedom that comes from knowing your place in His kingdom. Pride will
destroy you. Humility will save you. Choose wisely.
©2025 James Dacey, Jr., OFS
