Giant Killer Series - Giant Pride
Professor Colin Smith
Famous Christian author and clergyman J.C. Ryle once wrote:
"Let us watch against pride in every shape— pride of intellect, pride of wealth, pride in our goodness, pride in our desserts. Nothing is so likely to keep a man out of heaven and prevent him from seeing Christ as pride. So long as we think we are something, we shall never be saved."
In a way, pride is the ultimate opponent. Pride is the ultimate enemy of our spiritual progress and success. It can blind us to our mistakes and limit our capacity to learn from them. It can lead us to act in detrimental ways to our goals and relationships, such as engaging in risky behavior or neglecting essential tasks. Ultimately, it can prevent us from realizing our full potential and enjoying the rewards of hard work and dedication.
Appearing as the final and most challenging opponent in A.L.O.E.’s “The Giant Killer”, Giant Pride comes the closest to defeating our hero, Fides, in battle. He appears as a friend of Fides and speaks of his many accomplishments. Although Fides is flattered at first, he soon recognizes that his ‘fellow knight’ is just the Giant Pride in disguise. When challenged, the Giant Pride could not bring himself to mention the name of Fides’ King, let alone credit him with any achievements. It is through this self-conceit that Fides uncovers the truth about the giant's identity.
Fides’ battle seems to be a lost cause—until he humbles himself, and then he found himself, with the King’s strength, to overpower his much stronger adversary. This touching allegory has lots of lessons to offer about pride and humility. It is a compelling lesson for children to learn from.
James 4:6 says,
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Pride is rebellion against God; it refuses to depend on Him or be subject to Him or His Word. The sin of pride attributes to oneself the honor and wisdom due to God and His Word. Pride is the root and essence of sin. The Gospel is designed to exclude boasting. Romans 3:27 says,
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
As sinners saved by grace, we must all look to Christ for our righteousness and receive it as a free gift by faith in Him.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. ~Ephesians 2:8-9.
As we age, pride only becomes a stronger temptation to resist. Therefore, we as believers, parents, or spouses must remain vigilant and keep pride from becoming our downfall.
When I was younger, I had the opportunity to sit in on a few of my father's Ph.D. courses at Cornell University. In one class, The Epic of Gilgamesh was discussed. The Epic of Gilgamesh is the earliest recorded story man wrote down. The first part of the epic documented the hero Gilgamesh’s struggle with what we would call pride and the sins of the flesh. In the second part of the epic, Gilgamesh overcomes his youthful lust and is immediately confronted with another more significant challenge, man's mortality and pride in thinking he will live forever.
Thousands of years later, man has not changed much; no matter how old a man gets he still struggles with the sins of pride. As we age and overcome the struggles of our youth, our sins become less externally obvious and more internally profound. As we age, we must bring ourselves to the cross daily and ground ourselves in the truth that we are sinners saved by God's grace, set apart not by our good works but by God's love and kindness. The Gospel is the only sure antidote against the most potent of self-served poisons—pride.
Christianity teaches us that we are imperfect yet loved enough that Jesus still died for us. With this, we can gain a sense of appreciation for ourselves and others. This leads to a balance between humility and confidence in ourselves, all stemming from the same place. Confidence does not come from comparing ourselves to other people. I no longer have to prove myself to anyone or feel inferior either. Instead, I focus on my goals and accept who I am without overestimating my capabilities. By understanding the Gospel, we can love and receive love the way God wants us to. This is the highest call!
As we bring our Giant Killer series to a close, I want to thank you for battling these giants with us. If you would like to read more on The Giant Killer, feel free to check out the audio drama or book. Previous blog posts on the giants of untruth, selfishness, hate, and sloth are all available on markhamby.net. Again, thank you for joining!
Till next time!
Colin Smith
Recommended Resources on Battling Giant Pride:
Probable Sons (Ages 6-11)
Giant Killer book or audio (Ages 9-14)
Crown of Success book or audio (Ages 9-14)
Pride and His Prisoners (Ages 12+)
The Jewel (Ages 12+)
