Each one viewed the other with suspicion and at times anger. Instead of getting together to find common ground and promote unity, they quickly fell into endless debate and vain attacks leveled at each other. When all was said and done, instead of a better understanding of the other, there was animosity and a renewed convection to destroy one another.

This scenario is played out daily in the political, business, educational and religious realms. Instead of times together being refreshing, invigorating and unifying; they become a time to confront one’s enemies and seek to destroy them. Whether the competitive nature of our society or just plain hatred; most attempts at getting people to work together is somewhat equal to trying to herd cats.

In the late 1980’s, the ministry I had once served in split up and disintegrated into various camps of people aligning themselves with one former leader or another. Each group had nothing but disgust for the others and promoted the belief they were right. Back in 2006-07 I visited many of the leaders of these groups and was astounded at the animosity still prevalent 20 years after the ministry breakup.

Pride is an awful thing. Pride led to Lucifer’s downfall, Adam and Eve’s transgression, Cain’s act of murder and hundreds of other examples in the Bible. Pride leads to arrogance which in turn leads to the inability to work together for the common good or even get along with each other. Two people equally full of pride and arrogance cannot work together. It is like trying to have a pack of wolves with two alpha males—it does not work.

Pride is a bitter pill to swallow for it takes the utmost in humility to get down off of one’s high and lofty perch and seek unity instead of self promotion. Pride is as difficult to break as a rod of solid steel. Pride does not bend. It takes great pride in NOT bending.

Pride cannot tolerate the notion it is wrong. Pride always feels it is right and everyone else is wrong. Pride only looks out for itself and assumes everyone else is doing the same. Pride is ugly, crude, unpleasant, putrid and in all ways—BAD. There is nothing good about pride and thus it is not to be desired or sought after.

Division and conflict stem from pride. Pride does not go down easily nor does it give up without a fight. Pride destroys relationships, causes schisms within the Body, promotes selfishness and demolishes any attempts to unify in the bond of peace. Pride should be viewed as the enemy and within each of our hearts, it should be sought out and destroyed.

Since pride never admits it is wrong, always believes it is right and devotes itself to proving this to be true; there can be no reconciliation when pride is present. So, whether we are talking about our relationship with each other or with the Lord, pride must be broken and replaced with humility, meekness and the willingness to say at times, “you were right” and/or “I was wrong”.

^{Creative Commons: Public Domain}