COMPARISON OF HUMILITY AND PRIDE

Pride first manifests itself in the human heart. We can tell how deeply we are possessed by this sin by examining our own thoughts. To contrast humility and pride, here we juxtapose the two:

• A proud heart loves only itself. A humble heart loves everyone.
• A proud heart always promotes its own ego. A humble heart never talks about itself.
• A proud one is filled with envy. A humble one is filled with love.
• Pride exposes its gifts. Humility hides them. Pride boasts about its deeds. Humility never mentions them.
• Pride loves and is flattered by praise.
Humility avoids and is embarrassed by such.
• Pride remembers the evil done against it. Humility remembers only the good.
• Pride talks of vengeance. Humility speaks of love.
• Pride has a high opinion of itself. Humility remembers that all good things are a gift from God.
• A proud heart considers itself righteous. A humble one acknowledges its sinfulness.
• Pride seeks vengeance, hates others and finds joy in their misfortunes.
Humility forgives, loves and is happy when others succeed.
• A proud heart is self-confident. A humble one is filled with trust in God.
Pride seeks to be number one, does not tolerate superiority and if it meets such, it responds with envy.
• Humility seeks the last seat for itself and rejoices when others prosper and excel.
• Pride desires to be a king. Humility desires to be a servant.
• A proud heart is a well from which all bad things come forth.
A humble heart is a spring from which all good things flow.
• Pride destroys us spiritually. Humility saves us.
• If we ask pride: "What do you tell the hearts that give you refuge?" it will answer: "I tell them: Learn and show your virtues, quality and value and the whole world will bow to you and admire you. Then you
will be content." If we ask humility the same question, it will answer: "I tell them: Consider yourself nothing and you will have peace in God."
• Pride brings darkness to our hearts, humility brings light. In a heart that harbors pride there is no room for humility, since light and darkness cannot coexist in the same place. The brighter the day becomes in the morning, the further it pushes darkness away. The same happens in our inner lives —as our hearts fill with humility even the vestige of pride disappears.

Metropolitan Hilario Dorostolski