Christian Love Does Not Behave in Pride but in Humility
By Nick Bibile
1 Corinthians
13:4–5
“Charity
suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth
not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.”
Christian love does not envy what others have, nor does it provoke envy in others. It “vaunteth not itself”—that is, it does not boast, show off, or brag. It is “not puffed up,” meaning it is not inflated with pride, and it does not behave in an improper or indecent manner.
By nature, fallen man seeks to glorify and exalt himself. This pride springs from our sinful nature inherited from Adam, who, in disobedience, aligned himself with Satan—a being marked by pride and rebellion against God.
Romans 12:3
reminds us:
“…not
to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think
soberly…”
Why do people boast and exalt themselves? At the root, it is comparison. A man boasts because he believes he has something others lack—whether wealth, knowledge, or ability. If all possessed the same things, boasting would cease. Pride thrives on comparison.
Some boast in riches; yet if all were equally wealthy, there would be nothing to boast about. Thus, boasting reveals a heart seeking superiority.
Pride, self-exaltation, and bragging come from the flesh. The flesh craves recognition. The natural man, who does not know God nor trust His Word, walks by sight, not by faith.
Psalm 94:4
“…all
the workers of iniquity boast themselves.”
Psalm 49:6
“They
that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of
their riches.”
Before defining humility, consider this: Is humility an attribute of God’s divine nature? In one sense, no—God is infinitely exalted above all. He is never less than who He is. Yet Scripture also reveals that God, though supremely high, condescends to behold and care for His creation.
Psalm 113:4–6
“The
LORD is high above all nations… Who humbleth himself to behold the
things that are in heaven, and in the earth!”
Humility, properly speaking, belongs to created beings. It is the posture we take before the infinite majesty of God.
Even the holy angels—glorious, powerful, and sinless—stand in humble reverence before Him.
The Lord Jesus Christ, being fully God and fully man, demonstrated perfect humility in His earthly life. As a man, He set the pattern for all His followers.
Matthew 11:29
“…for
I am meek and lowly in heart…”
When we compare ourselves to the majesty of God, all boasting collapses. We are brought low—to dust and ashes.
Genesis
18:27
“…which
am but dust and ashes.”
Job 42:6
“…I
abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
Humility begins when we truly see God’s holiness and our own unworthiness.
The true Christian recognizes his moral weakness apart from God. He sees the corruption of his flesh and the holiness of God—and this produces brokenness.
Isaiah 6:5
“…Woe
is me! for I am undone… for mine eyes have seen the King…”
True humility leads to repentance. It is not occasional—it is a way of life.
Psalm 51:17
“A
broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”
Isaiah 57:15
“…with
him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit…”
The humble Christian knows he is unworthy of God’s grace.
Genesis 32:10
“I
am not worthy of the least of all the mercies…”
Like David, he says:
“Who
am I, O Lord GOD?”
(2 Samuel 7:18)
True humility is seen in behavior. It is not merely a doctrine—it is a life.
Even demons believe in God and tremble, yet they lack humility. Likewise, some professing Christians may have knowledge and fear, but not a humble heart.
The proud man trusts in himself—his wisdom, strength, or righteousness. The humble man trusts in God alone.
When praised, the proud accept the glory. The humble redirect it to God.
Consider Daniel: when he interpreted the king’s dream, he did not take credit but declared, “there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets.”
In contrast, Herod accepted divine praise—and was judged immediately.
Acts
12:23
“…because
he gave not God the glory…”
The humble heart says:
Psalm 115:1
“Not
unto us, O LORD… but unto thy name give glory.”
The true Christian still boasts—but only in the Lord.
Psalm 34:2
“My
soul shall make her boast in the LORD…”
Jeremiah
9:23–24
“…let
him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth
me…”
1 Corinthians
1:31
“He
that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”
The humble believer trusts God even in suffering.
Job 13:15
“Though
he slay me, yet will I trust in him…”
He does not murmur, nor does he become easily angered. He submits to God’s providence.
True humility also shows in how we treat others. It does not favor the rich over the poor.
James 2:2–3 warns against partiality.
Christ Himself associated with the lowly, the weak, and the outcast.
The ultimate model of humility is Christ.
Philippians 2:1–8 shows how He humbled Himself—even to death on a cross.
And He calls us to follow:
John 13:14–15
“…ye
also ought to wash one another’s feet… I have given you an
example…”
Matthew
20:26–27
“…whosoever
will be great among you, let him be your servant.”
God opposes pride but delights in humility.
Proverbs
16:5
“…every
one that is proud in heart is an abomination…”
James 4:6
“God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
Christian love is humble. It does not exalt self—it exalts God. It bows low before His majesty, lives in repentance, and walks in dependence upon Him.
If our Lord was humble, we must follow Him.