I grew up just north of Lancaster County in Pennsylvania. As a boy we spent many Sundays driving through Amish country. I loved the farms and the Distelfink Hex signs on the barns. What I loved best were the horses. Since the Amish didn’t drive cars one could tell how much pride they took in their horses. I never saw an ill-cared-for horse. Those were the days when most of the cars we saw were made in Detroit and model years were very distinctive. As we drove we would call out the make and year of cars coming toward us to see who got it first. Just as we would shine the chrome on our 57 Chevy those horses were groomed to perfection. There was a pride of ownership.
I grew up in a religious culture that pretty much labeled pride as sin. Lucifer’s pride led to the first sin. “Pride goeth before destruction.” Proverbs 16:18. Yet I feel that someone needs to speak up for pride. A man needs to feel proud of his family and his wife and his children. I often tell my sons how very proud I am of them. A person without personal pride often neglects grooming and often fails to achieve all that they can be. A student who is proud of their grades will apply themselves and seek to do well to maintain that good GPA. A congregation that isn’t proud of their church allows the paint to peel and weeds to take over the lawn. I don’t think we want to live in a country that didn’t make us feel proud.
The word “pride” like all words needs a careful definition. It can mean having a proper sense of value and it can also mean being haughty and thinking we are better than others. Like most things balance and perspective are so important.
Written by Roger Bothwell on November 30, 2011
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org