Pride

This post includes more words of wisdom from R. L. Dabney on pride:

Pride is often spoken of as "aspiring," "lofty," and humility as "lowly." Every proud man, I suppose, fancies that his elation is elevating him. He speaks of "looking down" on others. Let us consider. We have seen that pride and humility are comparative emotions. Pride is incited by the comparison between ourselves and our inferiors; humility, by the comparison between ourselves and those felt to be our superiors. This is unquestionable. It follows, then, that the proud spirit must be habitually conversant with things meaner than itself, and the humble with things nobler than itself. But we always tend to be assimilated to what our vision dwells on. Thus we learn that pride is the groveling, the degrading temper, and humility the exalting one. Pride is the vulture which may exult in sailing a little above the treetops, because its eye is fixed on the earth and the foul garbage with which it desires to glut itself, while it becomes foul itself and loathsome as its food. Humility is the eagle soaring into the upper sky, yet never judging itself to have risen high, because its eye is fixed upon the distant sun.

If we want to temper our pride we must focus our hearts and minds what is greater and nobler than ourselves. While this may lead to idolatry, it can never do so if the greater and nobler one is Jesus Christ.