We all have some…

“At least I still have my pride” is what we say when we’ve lost nearly everything else. Or when we fall off our high heels walking across a stage in front of a live audience we might say: the only thing I hurt was my pride. In such a case we we might say we have lost our pride. In the Old Testament book of Proverbs we find the often quoted saying, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18) If you’ve ever had to deal with an overly prideful person, you will understand that pride can be problematic. If you’ve never had that experience…it’s possible that you may need only to look in the mirror to find it.

Where did it come from?

Some might say that it is important to have a sense of pride or self-worth. They may, however, also postulate that it’s important not to have too much pride. So then, how much pride is the right amount? How do we know when we’ve crossed the line? Perhaps a better question to begin with might be: Where does pride come from? Why does pride seem to trip us up more than any other vice? Here is what Grok found for me when I asked what the origin of pride was:

The concept of pride has diverse origins across cultures and contexts:

• Linguistic: The English word “pride” comes from Old English prȳde, linked to Proto-Germanic prūdiz (meaning “proud” or “arrogant”). It evolved from Latin superbia (exaggerated self-esteem) in Christian contexts.
• Philosophical/Religious: In Christianity, pride is considered the first of the seven deadly sins, rooted in excessive self-regard or hubris, as seen in biblical texts like Proverbs 16:18. Ancient Greek philosophy, notably Aristotle, distinguished between justified pride (megalopsychia, or greatness of soul) and hubris (arrogant overreach).
• Cultural: Pride as a positive trait—self-respect or communal identity—emerged in modern contexts, like the LGBTQ+ pride movement, starting with events like the 1970 Christopher Street Liberation Day, building on earlier notions of dignity.
• Psychological: Evolutionary psychology links pride to social status and self-esteem, a trait adaptive for group hierarchies but potentially destructive when excessive.

No single origin exists; it’s a blend of linguistic, moral, and social developments.

The Root of Pride

Grok unfortunately seems to limit the origin of pride to the origin of the term. To find the origin of the pride itself…the psychological trait, we have to go back a little further. You might even say we need to go back to the beginning. According to some biblical scholars pride was what caused the fall of Lucifer from his lofty position as the chief archangel in the heavenly realm. This may also be why it is listed as first of the seven deadly sins in Catholic theology. Apparently when God created the angels, Lucifer was created as the most powerful, most beautiful, most gifted of all the angels. He was, in fact, so powerful and so gifted, that he decided serving God was beneath him. He decided instead, that he would attempt to overthrow God and take his place. So Lucifer essentially started a civil war in the heavenly realm, leading one third of the angels in a failed coupe attempt to take the place of God on the throne.

Having greatly underestimated the power and majesty of God, (pride tends to do that) he lost the battle and was cast out of the heavenly realm with his followers to roam the earth. These fallen spiritual entities are what Christendom has since labeled demons or evil spirits. It would also appear that these fallen angels all have inherited Lucifer’s fatal flaw. They all seem to have an inordinate sense of pride. 

Understanding Pride

So, the question then becomes… how does this affect us as humans? The short answer is: Pride is evidently the greatest threat to our relationship with God. This idea of “wanting to be God” that caused Lucifer’s fall is the same notion that causes humans to reject the grace that God offers to us all. This makes even more sense when we put that together with the fact that God created humanity “in His own image”. 

If we are created “in the image of God” then it is highly possible that we have some god-like characteristics. Prior to humanity’s contact with Lucifer (recorded in Genesis 3 if you would like to research it) our human god-like qualities were perfected in the relationship that pre-fall humans had with God in the Garden of Eden. What Lucifer essentially did in Genesis 3 was to infect humanity with his twisted character. He did this with a clever lie. A lie that claimed God was “holding something back” from humans. That they could be “like God” if they disobeyed God’s direct command not to eat of the forbidden fruit. Since that time our human nature has been corrupted by the nature of Lucifer. We have all inherited the prideful nature of Lucifer that desires to “be God”. It is only by the grace of God that  we are able to become content to reflect God’s image. 

Overcoming Pride

From the beginning, God had a plan to help us overcome our pride problem. We can restore our relationship with him only through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Through Jesus life, death and resurrection God provides a way for our relationship with Him to be restored. If you want to get the whole story, read the first four books of the New Testament.