Pride vs. Faith
Pride is a complex notion, as are all the root issues. A lazy thinker will settle for arrogance as the definition. Some will go on to recognize that pride can also mean delight, as in being proud of your children. These are our most common applications of the word to our experiences. But as you probably expect, my meaning is different. I am talking about your character. Arrogance and delight are outward manifestations of who you are as a person. The root of pride is in your nature.
Faith is also a difficult concept. A simple definition would be trust, or if you have a healthy vocabulary, maybe assurance. Faith is almost always associated with religion, as in having faith in God. And when I use it to illustrate a root good, I can’t escape that association because I believe that all good things come from God. But again, trust and assurance are only expressions, and faith is an issue of your character.
The symptoms of pride and faith can be very similar, causing others to sense confidence and certainty, for example. The difference is in their intent.
I like the way Tanton describes a root sin as a perversion of a root good. Pride is a perversion of faith. Faith is the understanding and accepting of who is really in control of your life. Pride is resisting faith by trying to take control yourself. It is your belief that you are able to do everything necessary, now and in the future, to survive and be happy. Faith is dependent on God, while pride eliminates your need for God.
A lifetime of living is made up of a finite number of moments, and the real root issue is actually one of control or authority. Who has the right to control every moment? As you know, a moment passes quickly. A faithful person is armed for every moment because they spend so much time with God. A prideful person is weak in every moment because they spend so much time with themselves, with their own thoughts.
Perhaps pride and faith are not roots at all, but just more symptoms of whether you embrace life God's way or your own.
Faith is also a difficult concept. A simple definition would be trust, or if you have a healthy vocabulary, maybe assurance. Faith is almost always associated with religion, as in having faith in God. And when I use it to illustrate a root good, I can’t escape that association because I believe that all good things come from God. But again, trust and assurance are only expressions, and faith is an issue of your character.
The symptoms of pride and faith can be very similar, causing others to sense confidence and certainty, for example. The difference is in their intent.
I like the way Tanton describes a root sin as a perversion of a root good. Pride is a perversion of faith. Faith is the understanding and accepting of who is really in control of your life. Pride is resisting faith by trying to take control yourself. It is your belief that you are able to do everything necessary, now and in the future, to survive and be happy. Faith is dependent on God, while pride eliminates your need for God.
A lifetime of living is made up of a finite number of moments, and the real root issue is actually one of control or authority. Who has the right to control every moment? As you know, a moment passes quickly. A faithful person is armed for every moment because they spend so much time with God. A prideful person is weak in every moment because they spend so much time with themselves, with their own thoughts.
Perhaps pride and faith are not roots at all, but just more symptoms of whether you embrace life God's way or your own.
posted by Amy at
6:01 PM
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