A SUBTLE FORM OF PRIDE.
By L. A. S.
One of the most subtle and dangerous forms of pride, closing the door of the mind against the reception of truth, is pride of opinion. Most of us find it very difficult to admit that our views of things may be mistaken. Even in the face of plain evidence to the contrary, we cling to our preconceived idea, though it may have originated in some very haphazard way, and defend it as though it were an indispensable part of ourselves. Instead of searching for simple truth in the matter, we search for something that will bolster up our cherished opinion, which from the outset we have been determined to maintain if possible. The experience of the apostles affords an instructive lesson on this point. The apostles had preconceived ideas with regard to the kingdom of Christ, which arose partly from their own selfish vanity and partly from the prevailing theology of the Jews. Their views found no support in the teachings of Christ, yet while they went with Him as His followers the disciples steadily refused to allow His words of truth to change their belief on this essential point. The record states that their minds were darkened so that they could not comprehend their Master’s statements with reference to His coming betrayal and crucifixion. Yet they believed that they were wholly devoted to His cause. “Lord, we have left all, and have followed thee,” were the words of Peter on one occasion. Apparently the disciples had forsaken all things for Christ, as Peter asserted; but there came a time which proved that Peter was mistaken. There came a time when “all the disciples forsook Him, and fled.” If they had truly forsaken all for Christ, they would certainly not have forsaken Him in the hour of trial. There was something else which they had not forsaken, and when the crisis came, they clung to that other thing, and forsook Christ. The disciples were wholly unprepared for this hour of trial; and the reason of this was that they had refused to surrender their own ideas of the kingdom of Christ for those ideas which Christ repeatedly set before them. They had fixed up in their minds a conception of Christ’s kingdom which was to their liking, according to which He was to “restore again the kingdom to Israel” (which kingdom was then in the power of the Romans), overthrowing all opposition by His divine power, and reign in splendor upon its throne, with themselves as His honored ministers and attendants. Ever and anon they would dispute among themselves as to which of them should hold the highest place in the coming kingdom. Jesus repeatedly told them that this was not to be, but that, on the contrary, He was to be delivered into the power of the Gentiles, and be crucified, and would rise again from the dead; but they maintained their own conception to the last. They were sure it must be right; they could not bring themselves to admit that they were mistaken. Rather would they believe that Jesus himself was wrong in His anticipations of the things to come; and on one occasion “Peter took Him, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee,” making it necessary for Jesus to reply, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” The refusal of the disciples to surrender their own opinions when plain evidence had come to them that they were in error, was a very costly mistake. It prevented them from seeing the truth, and thus left them unprepared for the hour of trial, with the result that they slept when they should have been watching with Christ in the garden of Gethsemane, and forsook Him when He was led away captive by the mob. The like mistake may be made by those who have so much pride of opinion now, and unless corrected, is certain to prove as costly, and even more so; for it may lead its victim in a wrong path until the end of time, when there will be no more opportunity to return to the way of truth. L. A. S.