Suppose you were raised in a good Christian home and had been under the influence of the word of God your entire life. You have been soundly indoctrinated and you have learned the spiritual disciplines of daily bible study and prayer. Lets also assume that you have very good, wholesome, healthy habits and you associate with those who are morally sound. What chink do you think Satan would find in your armor? He would find “pride” and he would exploit it in a heartbeat.
Pride is a dangerous sin because it blinds us. It is like a disease that everyone else recognizes except the person who has it. Pride is so subtle that he takes control long before we are ware of its presence. What really confuses the issue is that we can be proud of good things but in a way, this is the most vile pride of all. We become so clever that we are amused at the way people live beneath us. Without even realizing it, we become like the ancient Pharisees. Our pride alienates us from both God and man. You cannot minister to people when you are looking down. When Jesus washed the disciples feet, He looked up to them. When the woman was caught in adultery, Jesus stooped and when He looked at her, He looked up at her not down on her.
I hate to confess it but this pride that condescends is the sin that God convicts me of more than any other sin. I don’t understand why I cannot get it right. I run into someone strange; lets say they have holes in their ears the size of a dime. They have their nose and tongue pierced. I immediately condescend by thinking something like, “You idiot, what on earth possessed you to mutilate your body.” Every time I see a person putting a cigarette in their mouth, I am thinking, “That is a filthy habit you have old buddy and it’s killing you”. What right do I have to look down on another human? I have no right! It is a case of pride, pure and simple.
We have to keep a constant vigil for pride. It is an ever-present danger. Just as humility is the most elusive virtue, pride is the most subtle vice. If we are not careful, we will not see the pride until after the fall.
The Screwtape Letters Simplified Edition 