There are many people today who believe the word “pride” is somewhat of a negative word. Some people who read the Bible say pride was the cause of man’s fall—I believe they’re only partially right, so let’s look at the meaning of words.
If I were to confront you and accuse you of being silly, you would probably be offended. But if I explained that the word “silly” comes from the old English word “selig,” and that it meant “blessed, happy, healthy and reasonably prosperous,” instead of being offended, you would be complimented. Yes, word meanings do change.
Genuine pride is an honest evaluation of that which is good. Think about it. Can it possibly be wrong for me to say to one of our co-workers, “I’m proud of the job you’re doing,” or to one of my children, “I am proud of your character”? Pride is what you display in your job, in the way you dress, in the way you treat your associates, mate and children.
The pride mentioned in the Bible is false pride, or vanity, which is an extremely negative emotion which often leads to disaster. False pride says, “I’m better than you.” That’s bad. False pride leads to arrogance and when you become arrogant you are “riding for a fall.” For example, when “Iron Mike” Tyson, the “unbeatable” reigning heavyweight boxing champion, signed to defend his title against lightly regarded Buster Douglas, it was labeled a “mismatch.” Iron Mike’s arrogance led him to believe he did not need to train. He was knocked out by Buster Douglas, who never won another fight.
I love the acrostic formed by the word “pride.” It’s Personal Responsibility In Daily Endeavors. Think about it, develop genuine pride by accepting personal responsibility in your daily endeavors, and I’ll SEE YOU AT THE TOP!
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