Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church     
 
Pastor Tim Janiszewski - "Pride and Humility"

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This Sunday
August 16, 2015



Sermon Title:
"How Do We See Ourselves?"



Scripture:
Luke 18:9-14 
Picture of Pastor Tim
August 13, 2015
 
Dear MLEPC Members and Friends,
 
We live in a culture that creates a fascinating tension between pride and humility. On one hand, the emphasis on self-esteem encourages what it considers a healthy and necessary pride. Be proud of who we are. Be proud of our accomplishments. Have a high sense of self-worth that propels us to believe in ourselves and our ability to "do anything." People must have strong (big?) egos in order to excel. On the other hand, we are prompted toward humility. Don't boast about ourselves. Don't draw attention to our success. Let our accomplishments speak for themselves, or let others speak about them for us. While having a strong ego, it is best to be modest about ourselves--at least when in public.
 
It sometimes really is quite interesting to watch public people, such as entertainers, athletes and politicians, try to navigate between pride and humility. How do they manage to operate with immense self-confidence that at the same time presents itself as deflecting away from oneself toward others? Every now and then in an interview, we see a public figure who obviously has been well coached in the fine art of "humility speak" all of a sudden erupt with words of self-importance and personal entitlement. For a moment the self-effacing curtain is pulled back, and we see the pulsating ego. This inevitably is followed shortly afterward with a carefully crafted public apology and some well orchestrated eating of humble pie.
 
Jesus speaks challenging words at the end of the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14), saying, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be exalted." In other words, the proud will be taken down, but the humble will be lifted up. A reading of the parable in vv. 9-14a gives a vivid illustration of the principle based on the actions of a proud Pharisee and a humble tax collector. Jesus indicates that the way of pride ultimately is futile and self-destructive. In keeping with Christ, the Church long has recognized pride as foremost among the so-called Seven Deadly Sins. In contrast, the way of true humility prevails. As 1 Peter 5:5-6 records,"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time."
 
Perhaps some will wonder, how are we to feel good about ourselves and to motivate ourselves to succeed apart from pride, self-esteem, and strength of ego? Won't we end up as spineless wimps without the backbone to believe in ourselves and to make a way for ourselves? As Nietzsche argued, won't our Christian faith turn us into a bunch of Caspar Milquetoasts instead of inspiring us to become the Übermensch--the Superman?
 
The biblical and Christian answer is that our strength is not in ourselves; it is in the Lord. Our confidence is not self-generated; it is Christ-generated and Christ-directed. Our boast is not in ourselves; rather, our boast is in our Savior. We need not lift ourselves up in pride when we lift Him up in praise, confident that He in turn will care and provide for us. The ego we need is found in Jesus, the one who said of Himself in Greek, ego eimi--"I am"! In short, we need not be proud of ourselves. We instead look to be proud of our Savior, who humbled Himself for us through death on the cross, only then to be raised up to the throne of God Almighty.
 
So let's clear away the cultural clutter of self-esteem and self-actualization for ourselves and especially for our children who receive large doses of it through the public education system. In its place, let's boast about our great God and King, who for reasons beyond our limited comprehension has poured out His love, His care, His mercy, His truth, and His power on us in His Son.
 
Pastor Tim
 
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