A Group of Lions

A bunch of dogs is a pack.  Same with wolves.  Cattle and bison come in herds.  Fish swim is schools.  Ants like the Americans of the 1700's live in colonies. When we talk about the troops we are usually talking people that serve in the armed forces and not about a collection of baboons.  It is a  flock of birds and a Swarm of bees.  The Cornhuskers are better at football then the Jackrabbits but that likely has nothing to do with why a group of Jackrabbits is called a husk.  Some things in life are considered a labour of love but few can claim to love group of moles.  I am seldom sick.but if I ever tell you I have fever you can assume I'm not talking about more then one stingray. 

Let face it the English language for some reason has a variety of names for a group of animals depending on what animal the group consists of but enough talk of dogs, moles, ants, stingrays and baboons.  The word for today is pride and again I am not talking about lions.

A while ago a friend of mine and a former co worker of mine, Bruce Kaihoi did what I considered to extensive research on the subject of pride.  Bruce and I had been at a meeting earlier where the subject of pride had come up several times.  That meeting prompted Bruce to find out what the Bible said about the subject of pride.

As background information let me tell you about what Bruce came to see as the two sides of pride.  The positive side.  We are all familiar with the concept of being proud of your children or taking pride in your work.  They are both very positive ideas.  Nobody thinks negatively of somebody that says "I take great pride in what others think of me."

Although at the same the words pride and proud have a negative side to them.  A side very few of us like to see others reveal to us.  Pride is often tied to stubbornness.  The concept of a proud and stubborn man that is set in his ways isn't one very many people deal with.  How about a person that is so proud they won't apologize for something they have done?  Would you like them over for dinner.  We have all heard that "pride comes before the fall."  Not really a positive thought is it. In this context humble is good and proud is bad.

So Bruce, who would go on to become a pastor later in life, set out to find out what the Bible had to say about pride.  He took notes and shared them with me.  There is no shortage of references and if you want to look for yourself try these Biblical references as a sample.  Habakkuk 2:4, James 4:6, Daniel 5:20, Jeremiah 48:29, Isaiah 13:11, Luke 1:51, Philippians 1:26, 1 Samuel 2:3, plus many times in Proverbs and Psalms.  The theme is consistent.  Pride is bad.  Best summed up by Proverbs 16:5 "Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished."  When the focus is on you (man) the Bible condemns pride.  There are dozens of cases.

There are few times that pride is shown in a positive light in the Bible such as in 2 Corinthians 1:14 when Paul says "just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as yo also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus."  When you read the verse in it's entire context you see the reference is to God.  The focus is God.   

Are you now thinking so what is your point?

My point is that pride often focuses on man and the Bible teaches that focusing on man isn't Godly.  I have taken that to such an extreme that I have taken the word out of my vocabulary.  It is very hard.  Often I want to tell my kids "I am proud of you" but I don't.  I have to find a different way to say the same thing.  I have to say things like "I am impressed with the way you have chosen to live your life."

I am not suggesting that everybody take the word out of their vocabulary.  That is up to you and perhaps pride isn't a very big stumbling block for you.  Pride is a stumbling block for me so I have taken this extreme step.

I would suggest everybody study what the Bible has to say on the subject.  Bruce's study has had a dynamic impact on my life.  I hope it has made me more God focused and less man focused.  Bruces' lesson is always in the back of my mind and for that I am forever thankful.

So when I am talking about pride it means one of two things, a group of lions or the opposite of being humble. 

If you want to look up more animal names you can check out. http://www.hintsandthings.co.uk/kennel/collectives.htm .  Good Luck.