The Dangers of Pride
Reflection
Begin your study by sharing thoughts on this question.
1. What is one of your long-range goals? How would you feel if you could not accomplish it?
Bible Reading
Read James 4:11–17 from the NCV
or the NKJV.
NCV
11Brothers and sisters, do not tell evil lies about each other. If you speak against your fellow
believers or judge them, you are judging and speaking against the law they follow. And when you are judging the
law, you are no longer a follower of the law. You have become a judge. 12God is the only Lawmaker and
Judge. He is the only One who can save and destroy. So it is not right for you to judge your neighbor.
13Some of you say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to some city. We will stay there a year, do business,
and make money.” 14But you do not know what will happen tomorrow! Your life is like a mist. You can
see it for a short time, but then it goes away. 15So you should say, “If the Lord wants, we will live
and do this or that.” 16But now you are proud and you brag. All of this bragging is wrong. 17Anyone
who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning.
NKJV
11Do not speak evil of one another, brethren. He who speaks evil of a brother and judges his brother,
speaks evil of the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge.
12There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?
13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there,
buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your
life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15Instead you ought
to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” 16But now you boast in your arrogance.
All such boasting is evil.
17Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Discovery
Explore the Bible reading by discussing these questions.
2. Why should we not speak against fellow Christians?
3. In what ways do we judge others?
4. Why do we need to keep our plans submissive to God's will?
Question 4. Remind your group that although we may make plans, only God knows what the future holds.
See Proverbs 27:1; Luke 12:16–21.
5. What attitude does God want us to have about the future? Why?
6. Why is God not satisfied that we simply know to do good?
Inspiration
Here is an uplifting thought from the Inspirational Study Bible.
A prison of pride is filled with self-made men and women determined to pull themselves up by their own bootstraps
even if they land on their rear ends. It doesn't matter what they did or to whom they did it, or where they end
up; it only matters that “I did it my way.”
You've seen the prisoners. You've seen the alcoholic who won't admit his drinking problem. You've seen the woman
who refuses to talk to anyone about her fears. You've seen the businessman who adamantly rejects help, even when
his dreams are falling apart.
Perhaps to see such a prisoner all you have to do is look in the mirror.
“If we confess our sins … ” The biggest word in Scriptures just might be that two letter one, if. For confessing
sins—admitting failure—is exactly what prisoners of pride refuse to do.
“Well, I may not be perfect, but I'm better than Hitler and certainly kinder than Idi Amin!”
“Me a sinner? Oh, sure, I get rowdy every so often, but I'm a pretty good ol’ boy.”
“Listen, I'm just as good as the next guy. I pay my taxes. I coach the Little League team. I even make donations
to Red Cross. Why, God's probably proud to have someone like me on his team.”
Justification. Rationalization. Comparison. These are the tools of the jailbird. They sound good. They sound
familiar. They even sound American. But in the kingdom, they sound hollow.…
When you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option but to cast
all your cares on him, and when there is truly no other one that you can call, then cast all your cares on him,
for he is waiting.
(From The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado)
Response
Use these questions to share more deeply with each other.
7. How does pride deceive and destroy people?
Question 7. You can illustrate this point by taking time to read the story of King Nebuchadnezzar in
Daniel 4.
8. Why is humility harder to practice than pride?
9. Who do you know who demonstrates a spirit of humility? What have you learned from that person?
Prayer
Father, forgive us for living for ourselves, for thinking that we don't need you. God, help us to embrace humility.
Help us to remember that we can do nothing without you because you are the source of everything.
Journaling
Take a few moments to record your personal insights from this lesson.
How am I encouraged to know that God controls my future?
Additional Questions
10. How has pride damaged your relationship with God or others?
11. How can you begin to bring healing to those relationships?
12. What steps can you take to develop a spirit of humility?
For more Bible passages on pride, see Proverbs 11:2; 13:10; 16:5, 18; Romans 12:16; 1 Peter 5:5.
To complete the book of James during this twelve-part study, read James 4:11–17.
From Life Lessons from the Inspired Word of God—Book of James by Max Lucado. Copyright 1996 by Word Publishing. Published by Word.
