S4E7 - Pride: The Queen of Sins
We’ve reached the biggest topic in our Seven Deadly Sins series: pride, what we’re calling “the queen of sins.” Pride distorts how we see the world. In this conversation, we share personal stories of pride, including how feeling inadequate made it hard for Brook to see reality clearly, because he didn’t know how he measured up. That’s where comparison creeps in, with envy close behind, and it raises a hard question: what do you still need to prove? Pride often surfaces when our child acts out in public, when we disagree with our wife, or when we fail at work, moments that leave us asking, “Who am I?”
Pride hides in sneaky forms like arrogance, insecurity, defensiveness, control, image management, people pleasing, entitlement, blame, and perfectionism. It also has a spiritual version: “I understand theology better,” “my family does things the right way,” or “my kids behave better.” We all struggle with it, and Scripture warns that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. A life of pride is a fight against God that we won’t win.
At its root, pride is a longing to matter and a search for glory no one is meant to hold. Jesus invites us to simply be, because our worth rests in who we are, not what we do. Humility is the antidote, and it looks like holding our tongue, being quick to listen and slow to speak, serving those around us, and practicing what Tim Keller calls self-forgetfulness. Seeing our pride clearly shows us our desperate need for Christ, who humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. And ultimately, we can rest in the goodness of a God who saves us from our pride.
We close with practical steps for building humility, a muscle that grows with practice:
- Try a day of radically giving more than you take, without telling anyone.
- Ask your wife and God, “What do I not see that’s obvious to you? What am I missing?”
- The next time you’re in conflict, pray out loud or write down how you’re experiencing the other person, and let God show you what’s really happening.
Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TX
Scripture Mentioned: James 4:6, James 1:19 + Philippians 2:3–8
Books Mentioned: Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards + Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund
Submit Questions: Send a voice recording to hello@intentionalfatherhood.org, mentioning your name and where you’re from.
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