It’s a great feeling when we know something someone else doesn’t. Whether it’s the best route to a burger joint, the proper way to change a tire, or the name of the president of Turkey, pride bubbles up in us when our knowledge surpasses everyone else’s.
The same pride can show up in us as Christians—it certainly had for the Corinthians.
Flip to 1 Corinthians 8 and read verses 1 to 6. What “knowledge” had the Corinthians learned? What effect did it have on them?
1 Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.
4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6 But for us,
There is one God, the Father,
1 Corinthians 8 (NLT)
by whom all things were created,
and for whom we live.
And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things were created,
and through whom we live.
Many of the Corinthians knew that idols weren’t real. There’s only one God. All other gods are false. But that knowledge had puffed up their pride. We’ll talk about the external consequences of their pride tomorrow. Today we’ll focus on the internal destruction pride can have on us.
Take a look at the verse in 1 Corinthians 8:1 again. Paul uses two phrases that clue us into the negative consequences of pride. The first is about knowledge, which “puffs up.” The Greek word physioo literally means to inflate— Paul’s using the word figuratively. He’s getting at that feeling of pride that swells up when we know more than another person. But as we see in verse 2, that knowledge only makes us more prideful—so much so that we’re blind to what we don’t know.
The other phrase is “builds up.” Instead of puffing up our pride and blinding us to our faults, love strengthens us. God’s love is the antithesis of pride. Why? Because God’s love is everything pride isn’t—it’s self-giving, humble, and others-focused.
Pride will make you think you’re better than you really are. It will pull you away from the risk of an others-centered life. Pride can come from what we know, but it can also stem from countless other areas— our looks, our car, our job, our family, our workout routine, our house, or our church.
Pick one thing that’s a source of pride for you. Maybe it’s what you know about the Bible or the places you’ve seen in the world or the type of job you have.
Reflect on why that area of your life produces pride in you. Talk to God about it.
Then spend a few minutes praying about how you could use that source of pride to serve other Christians.
Text your response to the above prompting questions to your group and/or share it as a comment below
An area in my life that has potential for pride is how hard work. I work hard at my job to help as many students as I can. It can be a good thing, but it can also be a hindrance in that I give it my all and become self reliant. I don’t have joy and peace, especially in the midst of challenges. I need to depend on God’s love for me and my students and in doing so I can extend grace when needed. I focus so much on my output and efforts I don’t leave much room for the Holy Spirit to work. I reminded that we can have pride in good things and then our focus gets shifted and it becomes me-focus rather than other-focused. God’s love humbles me and reminds me that I need Him daily.
Sometimes I take pride from being an international student when I was in China. Even though it was God who brought me over here for me to know Him. My potential source of pride is probably that I know more about God than my friend back in China. A lot of people in China don’t have access to know God. I am very lucky to learn about God because He brought me close to Him. So I will watch myself when I talk about God in front of my friends.