If I am correct that pride itself is neither good nor bad, but the way we allow it (or control it) in our dealing with others that renders it positive or negative, I would like to see what the difference is and how we can recognize when our pride may be the destructive kind.
I note that in the list of verses mentioning pride that while some persons are mentioned as prideful, it is often the pride of Israel (or of surrounding tribal nations) that is said to be prideful. I would submit that pride is a different animal when it is the pride of a group of people.
As an example: If you look at the leadership of any organization of differing people, basic pride seems to be a prerequisite for successful leadership. For some the pride manifests as stability during troubled times, while in others it manifests as autocratic and arbitrary which results in increasing unrest in the organization when troubles come.
I am thinking here of some managers I have worked for that obviously had both inner pride and inner humility that kept them focused on providing stable leadership while adjusting to changing conditions that resulted in earning great respect by both people within their direct organization and with managers and personnel of other, sometimes antagonistic organizations.
To my mind, the autocratic managers tended to see the problems as personal affronts that must be fought tight control over everyone he leads, while the stable manager learns when and from who to take counsel, and does not take offense at difficulties.
This principle can be applied when we look at our own personal ministries. The leadership of these ministries must deal with personal problems as well as the core mission of the ministry. We must have the pride to recognize that the Lord placed us there ans has given us what is necessary to accomplish His ends. We should not approach difficulties as personal affronts and expect those around us to conform to our desires but take counsel from within the group or from a trusted counselor. But we must not shrink from making required decisions and seeing things through.
I note that in the list of verses mentioning pride that while some persons are mentioned as prideful, it is often the pride of Israel (or of surrounding tribal nations) that is said to be prideful. I would submit that pride is a different animal when it is the pride of a group of people.
As an example: If you look at the leadership of any organization of differing people, basic pride seems to be a prerequisite for successful leadership. For some the pride manifests as stability during troubled times, while in others it manifests as autocratic and arbitrary which results in increasing unrest in the organization when troubles come.
I am thinking here of some managers I have worked for that obviously had both inner pride and inner humility that kept them focused on providing stable leadership while adjusting to changing conditions that resulted in earning great respect by both people within their direct organization and with managers and personnel of other, sometimes antagonistic organizations.
To my mind, the autocratic managers tended to see the problems as personal affronts that must be fought tight control over everyone he leads, while the stable manager learns when and from who to take counsel, and does not take offense at difficulties.
This principle can be applied when we look at our own personal ministries. The leadership of these ministries must deal with personal problems as well as the core mission of the ministry. We must have the pride to recognize that the Lord placed us there ans has given us what is necessary to accomplish His ends. We should not approach difficulties as personal affronts and expect those around us to conform to our desires but take counsel from within the group or from a trusted counselor. But we must not shrink from making required decisions and seeing things through.
