Ah, pride. Such grandeur. Such power. Such glory. So vilified and so uplifted. So praised and demeaned. So embraced and so cast aside, only to be embraced again.

Truly, if there is a thing that wraps every fabric of humanity that is to be a vice or virtue it is Pride.

We’re told at every turn to take pride in ourselves, then faced with being told to be humble. Americans, most of Western Civilization, is bashed for being Arrogant to the Extreme. Yet every country is arrogant in its power and place, though few have the ability to back it up.

We have gay pride, black pride, Hispanic pride, all sort of “pride.” Just don’t be caught with “white pride.” We remove failure from our schools because we want our children to feel proud and accomplished. Or politicians pride themselves on their power and vision, and few more than our current president, Obama.

How pathetic their understandings of Pride.

Oh, the Christian seeks to be humble before Christ, and takes pride in his humility. The Muslim too, slave to Allah that he is, arrogantly considers himself to be the most holy of all men. The Heathen, drunk with glory, looks to his deeds and thinks of himself as great. The Pagan considers their enlightenment and communion with the earth, and holds themselves as high.

It is Pride that makes us say “I can do thus.” Wrath powers us, Greed drives us, Sloth holds us in check, and it is Pride that makes us legislate. But pride is nothing if not based on fact, and if based on fact it is well founded. The pride of a school child who never fails because he cannot be allowed to, will forever fall in the face of a child whose pride is built upon rising above failure to achieve.

Pride can lead to supreme Arrogance or Supreme Confidence. In the end, both may be indiscernible from each other. This matters little. Pride can blind, but it can also make us see. The man who holds his head up proudly sees a world that the humble man never will with his head bowed to the ground. Humility before power makes you see the ground, but Pride before power can kill you or grant you that power, and allow you to see all the Heavenly Glory that exists. True pride can lead to glory or ruin, but false pride leads only to ruin and slavery.

Meditate on your pride. Is it truth, based on mighty deeds and great accomplishments, or falsely made from lies or humility.