PHILIP GIDDINGS by Philip Giddings

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 22, 1907

PHILIP GIDDINGS

By Philip Giddings

Pride

PHILIP GIDDINGS

There is an abnormal growth known as “proud flesh”—an ugly excrescence. It is an apt illustration of pride, unsightly and dangerous. There is no place in God’s universe for pride. Of seven things which God hates, pride comes first. Prov. 6:16-19.

“How can man with that do well—That whereby the angels fell?”

National, racial, or individual “pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Prov. 16:18.

The divine Teacher inculcates: Let the greatest serve. Whosoever will be chief, let him be servant: even as the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve—himself the eminent illustration of the principle so variant from man’s. Matt. 20:25-28.

Some think pride is a mark of greatness. I ask with reverence, Is God proud? If so, this sentence had not been spoken: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Gen. 1:26. If pride were a sign of greatness, the Son of God had not become the Son of man. Bethlehem’s manger would not have been his birthplace; nor the peasant Mary his mother; nor Galilean fishermen his companions.

Christ’s answering of the question as to the greatest in heaven, by the placing of the little child in the midst, was no mere caprice: it is the principle of eternal verity written in the constitution of God’s universe. “Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.” Matt.

11:29. That was not simply something put on on earth by Jesus Christ to catch men by, but that was what he was in heaven—“meek and lowly in heart”—from everlasting to everlasting.

Pride is a swelling. It is conceived by a degenerated heart. It is hot-headedness and cold-heartedness—a reversive physiologic error. That stiffness is a stiffness of the joint. It is evidence of impure blood. Sweating is needed. That hand restrained from fellow helpfulness not only does injustice to the body social, but injury to itself.

The greatest material or highest mental or moral possession or social position does not isolate, but rather, like the high, blue sky-dome, should appear to us not convexly, but roof over with concave kindness—aloft, but not aloof.

Nor is it humility here, and as a reward, pride hereafter; for as already said, there is no place for it in time or eternity. Humility is not merely a means to an end, but an end itself. It is not the scaffolding that we take down when the building is done: it is of the building, and abides.

“Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted”—not exalted off humility, but on it. Humility is the pillar on which Exaltation stands. It is the foundation substructure for the superstructure. Does the workman destroy the bottom when the dome is finished?—No more than we throw away the alphabet when we become readers.

As in a tree, the branches are upper roots, and the roots under branches, so is exaltation upper humility, and humility under exaltation. They are constant and consistent with, and contained in, each other. It is the roots on which depend trunk, branches, and fruits. So then exaltation rests on humility as a tree on its roots. A good understanding have all they that stand on humility.

There is no understanding without this understanding, and the deeper the one, the higher the other.

As on the violin or guitar, you strike the highest note while you press the lowest fret.

The height of the ship’s hull above water is in ratio to the depth of keel below. By the rule of symmetry, the depth of roots is proportionate to the height of tree; the higher above ground, the deeper below. The tallest trees have deepest roots. Just so with the human “trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord.” Isa. 61:3. The greatest is the humblest. And since God is the greatest in the universe, in accordance with that law of which he is Author, God himself is the humblest Being, whose humility is as deep as his exaltation is high, whose humility proportionates to his majesty, might, dominion, and power. Therefore they are compatible—lofty and lowly, “for thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit.” Isa. 57:15.

There’s a lofty lowliness which, though down, looks up; and a lowly loftiness while up looks down kindly. It climbs the mountain to better view the situation on the plain, that it may come down and help. But those who stand on stilts of pride climb only to add force to fall; for “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5. He makes one topple, the other top; he upsets one, and sets up the other.