El Orgullo

When Spencer and I found out that we would be living in Utah for our winter semester in order to do internships, we had two choices: find an apartment to live in for three months or live with my aunt and her family in the guest bedroom. For me, it was a clear choice - let's live with my aunt! We would save so much money and not have to worry about finding a three-month contract. However, for Spencer, the choice was also clear - let's find an apartment! Why would we live with family for the second time in our marriage? Why would we want to share a bathroom with my wife's cousin in middle school? Privacy is worth the cost and effort of an apartment.

We were both had our minds set and our opinions were not going to change. I valued saving money and he valued privacy. We were seeing the other's side but not taking them into consideration. Most of all, we weren't turning to our Heavenly Father to see what His will was for our family. Pride was the stumbling block in our decision making process, and it wasn't until we humbled ourselves in prayer that we were able to compromise.

Since the Fall, mankind has been struggling to overcome the natural man. Pride is found at the core of the natural man and holds us back from eternal progression. Pride is that great and spacious building that lures us away from the correct path. Overcoming pride is a daily battle, and if we aren't aware of the danger of pride, Satan can use it destroy relationships and families.

Ezra Taft Benson (1989) gave one of the most eye-opening talks on the subject of pride titled "Beware of Pride." I remember reading it for the first time on my mission, and not only were my eyes opened, but my jaw dropped by the end. I had never realized what being prideful meant, what it looked like, and the damage it was capable of. Reading through it again, here are my top three quotes from the talk:

"The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means 'hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.' It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us."

So this means that when we want to do our will instead of the Father's, and are unrepentant, we have enmity toward God. When we strive for competition and comparison, in order to be better than others, we have enmity toward our fellowmen. As we succumb to our prideful inclinations, Satan has more and more power to destroy in our lives. 

"Pride is a sin that can readily be seen in others but is rarely admitted in ourselves."

As H. Wallace Goddard put it, "the natural man is inclined to love himself and fix others. God has asked us to do the opposite. We are to fix ourselves by repenting, and to love others" (2009, p. 69). We blame others, make excuses, and become defensive because we are never the root of the problem. We think that just because we are poor, untalented, or without leadership that we are incapable of pride. However, no matter if we are at the bottom or the top, young or old, male or female, we all suffer from a form of pride. Just by saying or thinking you aren't prideful means - you're prideful. 

"The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness. It is the broken heart and contrite spirit."

There's hope! While it may seem like a simple cure, it is undoubtedly the path to overcoming the monster of pride. The Savior was the only perfect being to live His life without the sin of pride. He was the perfect example of humility and what it means to love others and submit to the will of the Father. As we humbly come unto Him in faith and repentance we can be refined into a more Christ-like disciple.

References

Benson, E. T. (1989, May). Beware of pride. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

              

              https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/teaching-seminary-preservice-readings-religion-370-471-and-475/beware-of-pride?lang=eng

Goddard, H. W. (2009). Drawing heaven into your marriage: Eternal doctrines that change relationships. Joymap Publishing.