Commentary "Pride"

Written by: Akighir Mamfe Esther

The word: Pride, short as it may sound, expresses complete meaning and to some extent, it will not be out of place to say the word Pride is self explanatory.

Pride can be portrayed both in positive and negative contexts.

Pride in the positive context, can be used to qualify the worth of something, for instance:

 

 Pride can be used to qualify the worth of something. For instance, a woman’s hair is her pride. A woman’s dignity is also her pride.

 The pride of a man could be his wife or a good job.

 The pride of parents could be their children.

 And the pride of a nation could be its currency, mineral resources or tract record of achievements. 

The above contexts portray Pride in a positive light.

However, pride can also be seen in a negative context. It is the negative context that justifies the saying: Pride goes before a fall.

 

Pride in the negative context, is defined as the state of being proud, inordinate self-esteem and unreasonable conceit of one’s own superiority. 

The dangers of pride cannot be overlooked. Pride is a cankerworm that feasts on the persona of the bearer, Therefore, it would not be out of place to classify the effects of pride on the life of a person and the damages done to the buds or leaves of a plant by the cankerworm as Siamese twins, because pride completely ruins one’s life.  

One of the attributes of pride is deception, pride is deceptive in the sense that it blinds the bearer, denying him/her the ability to learn or embrace change.

Often times, a person who wears proud looks is not open to criticisms and as such, such an individual never creates room for correction even when at fault.

Worst of it all is the fact that, apart from been deceptive, pride also blinds. When an individual falls victim pride, the individual in question, though not physically blind, end up being spiritually, emotionally and character blind. Such individual is always right in his own though and as such, resist any form of advice and correction and is adamant to change.

Pride generally is dangerous and cancerous, and the most dangerous form of pride is that of irrational pride in quote. Irrational pride is the situation where one is ignorant but in his shallow sense of reasoning, claims to know. 

This form of Pride does more harm than good to the individual who falls prey to it. 

Going by the adage: pride goes before a fall, the monster pride justifies the saying in the following ways:

Firstly, pride goes before a fall can be seen in a situation where a blind man dares a man with two eyes in physical combat, which the resultant effect is a fall to the blind.

Secondly, pride goes before a fall is clearly illustrated in a situation where a fractured deer challenges the Lion, which is the king of the jungle to a fight, and the resultant effect is a fall to the fractured deer.

Thirdly, pride goes before a fall can also be seen in a situation where a stammerer dares a man who is eloquent in speech in words battle, and the resultant effect is a fall to the stammerer.

Fourthly, it was pride that reduced king Nebuchadnezzar who governed nations to a beast that lives in the bust and feed on mere grasses.

The list is endless but to mention just few. More importantly, People who fall prey to pride continue revolving in cycles of stagnation with no meaningful progress.

Having highlighted few instances where pride is made evident, take some minutes out of your time and meditate on these questions, Why did you keep repeating same mistakes over and over again? Is it because you are too proud to be corrected? Is it due to the fact that you are adamant to change? Or have you fallen prey to pride?  If the latter is the reason, desist from pride today and embrace humility in order to be more useful both as an individual and to the society at large. Remember: Pride goes before a fall, Pride kills, and above all, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.