Nothing gets under my skin, quite like a prideful, arrogant, boastful Christian. You know the person who has all the answers even if there are no questions being asked. It’s important to know that I am not confusing good self esteem or a healthy self confidence. These would all be healthy and good. No, I am talking about down right arrogant behavior. It’s the attitude that reveals itself in the statement, ‘I am right and in me there is no wrong.” Pride is a personal characteristic that presents a condescending and elitist personality that eliminates the potential of relational depth. Pride does not only hinder our relationships with one another, but with God. “All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."(1 Peter 5:5).

There are also those who get overly prideful concerning their moral goodness in the community of faith. These are the ones who are quick to point out that they are morally superior to, “Those People” who are on the outside of their community. I am sure the Bible teaches that it is amoral to think of yourself more highly than you ought. Then there is this Bible story of the Tax Collector and Pharisees who are praying in the temple. This story helps me see that being religious and prideful about my faith, is not the way you get close to God.

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great self-confidence and scorned everyone else: "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a dishonest tax collector. The proud Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: 'I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't sin, I don't commit adultery, I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, 'O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For the proud will be humbled, but the humble will be honored." (Luke 18:9-14).

When our pride starts producing a condescending attitude in us that keeps people away from God, then we are missing the point of being a Christian. Where in the world did we ever get the idea that God, only loves people with a high score on their moral report card?

Maybe the reason God gets so bent out of shape about our pride is that it tells him that we can handle life without him or others? Pride says, we are spiritually self sufficient. Pride is the sin of impersonating God.