“Pride is your greatest enemy, humility your greatest friend.” -John Stott, 1921-2011, British Anglican pastor and theologian

“Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind…… it is Pride which has been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began.” -C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Simon & Schuster Touchstone edition, 1996), 109, 111.

In the long-running Peanuts comic strip, a round-headed kid named Charlie Brown tried to kick a football, only to have his friend/ tormentor, Lucy Van Pelt, yank it away at the last second. Lucy rarely doubted herself. She exhibited pride in the comic strip, always believing she was right. Her “psychiatry booth” is a telling example of how humanity can be quick to diagnose others’ problems but never reflect on their own.

Pride affects everyone. Jesus taught the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9–14). It is aimed at those “who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt.” It addresses spiritual pride, an especially subtle temptation of religious people and leaders, which is still in evidence today. 

The Pharisee does not focus on his own sin but on others, unlike the Tax Collector, who looks to his own sin, not the sins of others, and especially on his need for God’s mercy. In a surprising reversal of expectation, Jesus says that God answered the tax collector’s prayer, not the Pharisee’s. 

Charlie Brown, like the tax collector,  is a classic example of humility—sometimes painfully so. His character consistently demonstrates quiet strength, emotional honesty, and a humble spirit in the face of repeated challenges. He is kind even when treated unfairly, he does not think too highly of himself, and he is open about his feelings. 

Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, help me to avoid the anti-God state of mind: Apologize, be introspective, steer clear of arrogance, and give a good run to kick the football of life without hesitation. Amen