“Truly an oxymoron if I have ever seen one,” you might say, and yes, you’d be right. Because how would two opposites meet in any way? The same is true with pride and humility, and yet, if the Bible is any indication, they are opposites that could meet at some point. Humility can be stretched so far to the point that it becomes pride.
In C.S. Lewis’s famous book, The Screwtape Letters, we read of how Screwtape (a senior demon) tells his demon nephew Wormwood, a novice, that one of the ways to manifest pride is through humility. Screwtape writes, “Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, “By Jove! I’m being humble,” and almost immediately pride— pride at his own humility—will appear.”
In this article, we will delve into specific stories from the Bible that illustrate the concept of prideful humility. We will explore how these narratives demonstrate that our humility can often be rooted in pride. But before we do that, let’s first define pride and humility.
Distinction Between Pride and Humility
Pride, at its root, is considered a respectable sin. Compared to sins like murder, fraud, or theft, pride seems relatively inconsequential. Also, it is ‘not always wrong’. Being proud of achievements like marriage, graduation, parenthood, etc, isn’t necessarily bad. However, I would argue that pride lurks at the root of all our sins.
Pride is the feeling of satisfaction we get when we achieve something. On the surface, what could be so wrong with that? Why would God say, “Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate” (Proverbs 8:13)? Because pride quickly leads one to delight in themselves rather than God. Instead of ‘it is by God’s grace that this was possible,’ one says, ‘this is all me.’ From that, all manner of sins can easily creep up.
It is from pride that self-love, from the point of selfishness rather than selflessness as the Bible commands (Matthew 22:39, Philippians 2:3-4), comes. Pride says I am better than everyone else; thus, I am superior, while humility says even though I am better, I will still regard them as equals and joyfully pray to be self-forgetful. Humility doesn’t translate to treating oneself with contempt. As we shall see, doing so is a form of prideful humility. Jesus didn’t shy away from being God in the flesh while remaining the most humble Man in human history (Philippians 2:6-11).
Defining True Humility
What, then, is true humility? Screwtape, in his letter to Wormwood, helps answer that. He writes, “a charity and gratitude for all selves, including their own; when they have really learned to love their neighbours as themselves, they will be allowed to love themselves as their neighbours.” Screwtape uses an example of a man who builds the best cathedral and rejoices in it, so glad that he would have the same gladness if another had done it. He says that humility’s endgame is self-forgetfulness without self-contempt. It is looking out for your interests while at the same time doing so for others as well (Philippians 2:4).
Defining Prideful Humility
With the definitions and distinctions out of the way, let’s explore how pride and humility merge. We will look at three scenarios in the Bible to understand how this combo comes together.
Ahaz (Isaiah 7:10-12)
First, we have Ahaz, one of the worst kings of Judah. He brought rampant idolatry to the point of sacrificing his own son (2 Kings 16:3). In Isaiah 7:10-12, God speaks to Ahaz and tells him to ask him for a sign. Asking God for a sign already indicated weak faith, but God willingly allowed Ahaz to test him to confirm that what he had said in the previous nine verses was true. Ahaz, however, responds in a way that seems right and spiritual but, in reality, is an example of prideful humility.
He quotes Deuteronomy 6:16, which is a very popular verse. Jesus used it to shut down Satan’s temptation (Matthew 4:7). You’d be inclined to ask why something Jesus said would be sinful in the instance that Ahaz says it. The reason is context. God told Ahaz to ask him for a sign, yet in his supposed humility, he pridefully said no. In supposed humility, Ahaz said he knew better and would do it on his own. In 2 Kings 16:5-9 and 2 Chronicles 28:16, we are told that Ahaz humbly asked the Assyrian king for help. In short, he chose not to rely on God even when push came to shove. Instead of humbly turning to God, he turned to the gods who supposedly brought Assyria victory (2 Chronicles 28:22-24).
That’s one way that prideful humility presents itself. It says, “Lord, I know you said this is going to happen, but in my humility, I am saying no as I would rather have it my way.”
Peter (John 13:6-9)
From another angle, prideful humility could sound something like this: “Lord, I know I can’t do this on my own, and even though you have offered yourself up for me, I would rather not accept it, as I am beyond redemption.” No one epitomizes this better than Peter when Jesus was washing his disciples’ feet. Jesus readily offered to wash His disciples’ feet and was already doing it until he got to Peter, who decided it was wrong for Jesus to do what he was doing. Granted, what Jesus was doing was considered a task for the lowest person around, i.e., slaves. However, instead of seeking to understand why Jesus was doing this, he tacitly asserted that it was wrong for Jesus to do that.
I am sure Peter thought himself humble when he said this, as that showed that he had a low view of himself. However, even Screwtape shows how this is different from true humility. Peter forgot the actual end of humility that Jesus was showing, which, Screwtape terms as self-forgetfulness. Thus, while Peter thought he was humble, he was implying that because Jesus was infinitely greater than him, his washing their feet was beneath him even though he offered it.
How does this play out in our lives? When you consider your sins so great that there is no way Jesus would forgive them. In your supposed humility, you say there are sins beyond Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26-28, 10:11-18). Instead of thinking self-contempt is the answer, turn to the One who is the way, the truth, and the life, for no one goes to the Father except through him (John 14:6).
Christlike Humility
Jesus is the only guide toward true humility that is not rooted in pride. Only through him and his example of humility can we indeed do nothing from selfish ambition and conceit but in true humility, regarding others as more significant than ourselves, looking out not only for our interests but also the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-4). We are to do this by following Christ’s example of humility. Humility that willingly washed his disciples’ feet. One that didn’t regard equality with God as something to be grasped but willingly emptied himself without losing sight of his divine nature. Jesus willingly subjected himself to his Father’s will to the point of death on the cross.
In short, as Screwtape states, true humility is one whose true end is self-forgetfulness without self-contempt. Jesus never asked anyone to hate themselves but deny themselves. A humility that, as he writes, is “so free from any bias in his own favour that he can rejoice in his own talents as frankly and gratefully as in his neighbour’s talents—or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall.” One that understands that he didn’t create himself or conjure his talents and might as well be proud of his hair colour, growth, or even loss —all of it to the glory of the Father (Philippians 2:6-11, 1 Corinthians 10:31). Instead of carving out your own path without him, thus being pridefully humble, seek his help, for he bids you welcome to the rest he offers.
