Pride – U2
One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One man come, he to justify
One man to overthrow
In the name of love
What more in the name of love
In the name of love
What more in the name of love
One man caught on a barbed wire fence
One man he resist
One man washed on an empty beach.
One man betrayed with a kiss
In the name of love
What more in the name of love
In the name of loveWhat more in the name of love
Early morning, april 4
Shot rings out in the memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride
In the name of love
What more in the name of love
In the name of love
What more in the name of love
In the name of love
What more in the name of love...
What comes to mind when you think of the word Pride? I think of the great U2 song, Pride. I think of, “Pride before the fall.” I think of a proud papa.
I wanted to know what Merriam-Webster’s said about pride.
1: the quality or state of being proud: as a: inordinate self-esteem : conceit, a reasonable or justifiable self-respect c: delight or elation arising from some act, possession, or relationship
Merriam-Webster doesn’t make pride sound like such a bad thing. Merriam-Webster’s definition leads me to ask, is pride really so bad?
If I look at U2’s song I see both a good and bad example of pride. I see Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man with much dignity, who did many good things, a man who did not die ashamed – they did not take his pride. But I also see Judas betray Jesus with a kiss – his pride took him down a dark path. I see one man who valued others above himself, and another who valued himself more than others.
As a woman from a family of strong women, we pride ourselves of being self-sufficient. We don’t need a man to take care of us. We can handle our own finances, social life, and repairs around the house. We are proud women – strong women! Grrrrr. Pride, it’s not such a bad thing, right?
But after going through the Pride test, and looking at the journal questions in day two, I stop to ponder my pride. After a closer look, perhaps I should own up to some of my issues. Am I truly a woman who values others above herself? This is not to say, I belittle myself, but do I love others with a greater love. The same deep love Jesus loves with? That’s what it comes down to right, loving well. I don’t like to make things complicated. So to simplify – humility is to love well and pride does not.
It’s been a few years since I’ve acted on stage, but throughout and at the end of the show I longed to hear a good response from the audience. Talk about instant gratification! If you do something funny – the good responsive audience laughs. If you’re in an intense dramatic moment, you sense the audience holding their breath. At the end of the show, you hope hear loud resounding applause – not a wimpy applause – applause with power and intentionality behind it. The energy from the audience tells you if performed well, if you’re loved well. Ah pride – did I love them well? Did I care? No, it was about me, I wanted them in that moment to love me well.
For many reasons, but mostly lack of time, I have not been in a show in awhile. This is probably a good thing. God has taken this time to teach me humility. God is teaching me to love well. Love with intentionality. God is teaching me how to be a good responsive audience. He wants me to laugh when little kids do silly things. When someone is in a dark place in life, He wants me to be there with them, holding my breath. Towards the end of someone’s life he wants me to show them, with intentionality, they mattered and they were loved well. They will continue to be loved well – even as they pass out of this life. Not only loved by someone here on this earth, but loved by God forever.
Pride, I wrestle with it. Sometimes I win and sometime she wins. Sometimes the match is easy. Sometimes there is hair pulling, grunting, spit flying, faces pressed into the mat. Sometimes I give in a little too easy, and sometimes I put all my energy into the fight.
I hope I’m gaining a little of Jesus’ wisdom. Jesus did not enter a wrestling match with Pride. In Luke Chapter 4, Jesus vs. the enemy, Jesus did not fight. Jesus wore the cloak of humility, he responded with wise words. He loves all of us well by not giving in to the enemy’s lines. He thought of us and not himself. He lived a life with pride surrendered to God. How did he do it?
My prayer for you, and for me, is for us to live lives surrendered to God. Father God, teach us humility! Teach us the truth about pride. God teach us wisdom. Teach us to be bold and to love well. Help us to love ourselves well and love others well. Give us a burning desire to learn how to love like you. And God, may we allow you to love us well. God help us to focus on Jesus in Luke 4, and not our failures that came about in the test. Give us the desire to be wise and love like Jesus. God teach us to live life in the name of love – your love – for you are love. Amen.
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