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Tim Maas
Is "pride" ever a good thing?
For example, if you say, “I’m so proud of my child’s success?”
Isaiah 2:12
ESV - 12 For the Lord of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up - and it shall be brought low.
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Asked January 06 2022
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Peggy Johnson
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Tim Maas
In his excellent book Mere Christianity (which is fully viewable online), C. S. Lewis addressed this question in the chapter that he devoted to the subject of pride. He wrote: "We say in English that a man is 'proud' of his son, or his father, or his school, or regiment, and it may be asked whether 'pride' in this sense is a sin. I think it depends on what, exactly, we mean by 'proud of.' Very often, in such sentences, the phrase 'is proud of' means 'has a warm-hearted admiration for.' Such an admiration is, of course, very far from being a sin. "But it might, perhaps, mean that the person in question gives himself airs on the ground of his distinguished father, or because he belongs to a famous regiment. This would, clearly, be a fault; but even then, it would be better than being proud simply of himself. To love and admire anything outside yourself is to take one step away from utter spiritual ruin; though we shall not be well so long as we love and admire anything more than we love and admire God."
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