Scripture: Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Prayer:
Adult:
Dear God,
Tonight is a tough prayer because I don’t want to admit my pride. It’s tough to be humble. At times, I want people to think what I’m doing is great. However, in the end, the happiest moment for me is when there is no credit to be had. It is when you guide me. It is when you do something out of the blue like show me a rainbow on a bad day. God, can you take the pride from my heart and let me see you. Can you make it easy to give up pride? Can you put protection around my heart and mind so pride is never an option. Thank you God. Amen.
Child:
Dear God,
Why can’t I have pride? I like it when I feel like I’ve done something good on my own. If I can’t have pride, can you make it ok for me to not have pride? Can you not even allow it into my heart? Thank you. I love you. Amen
Activities:
As the old saying goes – pride can eat you alive. It is definitely my enemy. Every time pride pops its ugly head in my life I originally gravitate towards it until God turns me around. Every time I am not grateful or think it is all about me is when my faults smack me in the face. A perfect example is when a client asked me to present with him in the community about our project. He was so happy with the outcome of our work and our partnership he wanted to broadcast it to the larger audience. Prior to the presentation, I couldn’t stop talking about this opportunity with everyone, of course, highlighting the point my client asked me to speak with him. He asked me! However, when we actually had the opportunity to present, it was a disaster. We hadn’t practiced much prior to the presentation or really understood the audience. The reviews after words mimicked what I already knew. Some respondents actually said it was the worse meeting they had ever attended. For nights after the event, I couldn’t sleep, was embarrassed, wondered what my client thought, and wondered if it would hurt my consulting career. Luckily, God allowed me to learn a harsh lesson quickly, but he also picked me up. The next day the client said everyone has their own opinions and we would do better the next time. My prayer if there is a next time is not only to be better prepared, but to wipe away pride. Hopefully, you will join me on this adventure of wiping away pride from our lives.
Adult
- Ask yourself the following four questions: a) When something good happens is it all about me? b) Is it difficult for me to be humble? c) Why is pride important to me? d) What does pride mean to me or how would I define pride? e) How does pride serve me?
- On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being very prideful, where do you think you land? Where would other people think you would land? What would need to happen to help you go down in your score?
- Read the following verse three times and then write what you think of this verse: Your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 8:14
- Think about a time you were prideful. What were you proud about and what was the result.
- Think about a recent accomplishment. Explain how you can be happy about your accomplishment instead of prideful.
- How would you define pride vs. being happy regarding an accomplishment? Why can pride be destructive? What type of person do you want to be, in regards, to pride?
Child
- Have the child draw a picture of a time they’ve been happy. Then ask them to draw a picture of how they can include God in their happiness.
- Discuss the difference between being happy and prideful. Act it out or draw pictures.
- Let your child talk about times when they’ve seen other people be prideful. How did this make them feel or what did they think?
- Have them name people who they think are prideful and why do they think they are prideful? Ask them, do they want to be thought of the same – why or why not?
- When good things happen, ask your child did these good things happen due to your own doing or do you think God had a hand in the accomplishment? Ask them why it is important to involve God in our accomplishments?
- Ask your child how would they define being prideful?
- Have your child share stories when they thought they were being prideful and ask how they may have handled the situation differently.
