James tells us: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

But who is proud?

Consider some obvious biblical examples

• Haman, rejoicing in the favor of the king and (he thinks) the queen, is full of pride (Esther 5:11-12).
• Nebuchadnezzar, surveying his domain and exulting in his power, is full of pride (Daniel 4:29-30).
• The Pharisee, thinking highly of his religiosity while looking down at the tax collector, is full of pride (Luke 18:10-12).
• Herod, delighting in the people calling him a god, is full of pride (Acts 12:20-23).

But there are also less obvious biblical examples, where pride manifests itself more subtly.

Consider Job. Is Job proud?

Job is a righteous man (Job 1:1). He has avoided sexual immorality, not only in act but also in desire (Job 31:1, 9-12). He has been generous, helping the poor (Job 31:16-22). He was wealthy, but did not trust in his riches (Job 31:24-25).

Yet God allows Satan to afflict him. Job suffers terribly. His friends tell him he suffers because of his sin.

Job knows better. Compared to other men, he is good. He is righteous. God Himself has said so! (Job 1:8). If God were to apportion suffering according to the measure of a man’s sinfulness, Job would not suffer.

When Job protests against his friends’ accusations, he initially echoes God’s statement about himself. But then he goes further – and here pride comes in. He demands from God the opportunity to defend himself. In effect, he asserts that God has done wrong by having him suffer. While his perplexed cries to God in the midst of despair are right, proper, and necessary (for example, Job 30:27-31), his assertion that God would have to give way before the logic of his case is prideful (see, for example, Job 23:3-7).

This truth comes out more clearly in the last several chapters of Job. Elihu – who himself is infected with pride (Job 36:4)! – concludes his speech with these powerful and true words, even as God begins to manifest Himself in thunder and whirlwind:

“God is clothed with awesome majesty.  The Almighty — we cannot find him; he is great in power; justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate.  Therefore men fear him; he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.” (Job 37:22b-24)

Then God speaks, reprimanding Job – who has indeed been wise in his own conceit:

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?  Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me. Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding” (Job 38:2-4).

After Job says he cannot speak before such majesty (Job 40:4-5), God asks him:

Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?  Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?  Adorn yourself with majesty and dignity; clothe yourself with glory and splendor.  Pour out the overflowings of your anger, and look on everyone who is proud and abase him. Look on everyone who is proud and bring him low and tread down the wicked where they stand. (Job 40:8-12)

Note: God says that He is right and just. He is acting from His very nature when He brings low the proud and treads down the wicked.

Job knows that he himself has spoken in prideful ways. He therefore repents. He acknowledges that he has not really understood God’s greatness, power, and righteousness. By despising himself, he is acknowledging his pride:

I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. . . . I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;  therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” (Job 42:3b, 4-6)

Job’s pride is very different from that of Nebuchadnezzar or the Pharisee or Herod or Haman. Indeed, he did not consider himself prideful until God confronted him.

This type of pride is especially dangerous because we so often pretend that it is not pride. This pride manifests itself:

• Whenever we think we are not getting what we deserve
• Whenever we think we have been good and righteous and hardworking and God is not coming through
• Whenever we are upset that someone else got the promotion we thought we deserved
• Whenever we are hurt that another person – in the school, in the church, in the family, in the workplace – is receiving more recognition or attention than we are
• Whenever we are jealous of gifts that others have which we do not have

So check your heart. Pride is a subtle, infectious sin. Learn from Job. For God opposes all types of pride – but He gives abundant grace to the humble.