God’s Red Pen of Love
In high school I had an excellent English teacher. My writing skills were subpar, but my teacher saw something in my writing he felt needed refining. I’ll never forget submitting one of my writing assignments and getting the paper back from him.
As someone highly sensitive to criticism, I nearly cried when he placed the paper on my desk. It was covered with red pen – comments, circles, and notes everywhere.
Initially, I felt shame sweep over me. But as I began to read his comments, I realized they weren’t mean-spirited. They were actually the kindest and most attentive feedback any English teacher had ever given me. He knew I could do better if I only learned how to organize my thoughts. His corrections demonstrated he truly cared about me and valued me as a writer. It must have taken him an hour to read my paper and analyze it so carefully.
Recently during a moment of deep prayer and reflection, I cried out to the Lord: Oh Lord, would You get out Your “red pen” and bring Your perfect correction into my life, so that I can see what You see and correct what is lacking?
I longed for that kind of correction and attention from Almighty God. And what happened next in my life was not what I expected!
The positive fruit that followed caused me to ask myself: What keeps us from asking for His perfect correction? What holds us back so strongly?
Today we are going to unmask these things that hold us back so we can clearly see God’s red pen of correction, which is actually His greatest form of love.
Unmasking Pride
What is the root of all sin –the original sin that brought the downfall of God’s perfect world? When the Bible speaks about this sin, it often uses word pictures.
The Hebrew word גַּאֲוָה (ga’aváh) means pride.The first letter– ג (gimel) – looks like a camel with its head held high. The second letter – א(aleph) – looks like an ox, signifying strength. We see a word picture of standing tall and strong – an insolent and empty assurance that trusts in its own power and resources, shamefully despising and violating divine laws and human boundaries. Pride trusts in the stability of earthly things.
A Powerful Weapon Used Against Us
In the Bible’s opening chapters, we see the results of a twin rebellion. Not only was there the well-known rebellion of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, but preceding that was the rebellion within God’s own divine council. When Lucifer (Satan) came to Adam and Eve to tempt them to sin against the Living God, pride had already entered his heart. Pride led him into foolish rebellion, attempting to usurp the throne of God.[1]
So is it any wonder Satan uses pride as one of his most effective weapons against us?
The focus on the thoughts of the heart reflects a biblical principle: as a person thinks in their heart, so they will be (Proverbs 23:7). Pride is not just something we see outwardly in words or actions – it hides in our inner thought life. And both passages above illustrate the harm pride can cause, in both people and in the spiritual realm.
“The enemy [Satan] builds strongholds in our lives through lies we believe in our minds. These lies repeat so often we begin to believe and act on them. The Bible tells us about this hidden war within our minds is spiritual warfare, and our job is to tear down those strongholds.”[2]
Pride wants control. Pride wants to run its own life.
Do you see that all selfishness is rooted in pride… the putting of me first?
The Most Dangerous Sin
The Bible identifies pride as the most dangerous sin. In Proverbs 6:16–17, we find pride tops the list of the seven sins God hates.
Pride deceives us into thinking we are the final authority in our lives, deciding for ourselves what is right and wrong. It takes the place of God – and He hates it. As one writer put it: “It’s like waving a fist of rebellion in the face of the Ruler of the universe. When we attempt to run our own lives, we say to God, ‘You rule heaven; I’ll rule me.’ And in that moment, we are most like Satan.”[3]
“Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 16:5). An abomination is something detestable and repulsive.
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18) Isn’t it interesting that the word picture for pride means to stand tall and strong, yet the reality is that our unchecked pride leads to falling flat on our faces, ending in our destruction? Indeed, “A person’s pride will bring them low” (Proverbs 29:23).
Pride Personified
The Bible talks much about fools. In Proverbs, “the fool” is pride personified. Let’s look at the fool in contrast with the wise:
The Fool / The Prideful Person
... knows it all and is never wrong.
... cannot say, “I don’t know.”
... only pretends to listen.
... never learns, even through painful experiences.
... jumps to conclusions and makes assumptions.
... speaks words that are depleting, leaving the hearer malnourished.
... makes decisions alone.
... cannot hear rebuke or correction.
... must always win.
On the contrary…
The Wise Person
...knows they have much to learn.
...is willing to ask for help.
...listens.
...makes mistakes but learns through painful experiences.
...is patient and seeks understanding before judging.
…speaks words which nourish the listener.
...is teachable and humble when corrected.
...lets others shine and win.
The wise person personifies humility.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).
If we want to win in this life, we must choose humility and wisdom.
Because of all this, I firmly believe the greatest obstacle to living a life of surrender to the Lord is pride.
Pride Falls, but Grace Stands
We see the consequences of pride and arrogance, but what is the antidote?
It is not “trying harder to do better.” God knows that apart from Him even our attempts to fix ourselves are rooted in pride.
Humility is the opposite of pride, and the antidote to pride is experiencing God’s grace. The biblical word for grace is charis,[4] defined as divine favor and influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life. Grace is deeply connected to gratitude.
Romans 6:14 states: “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Grace helps us recognize we have little to offer on our own, and everything to receive from God. We respond with humility to His graciousness.
Did you realize the picture of humility in Proverbs perfectly reflects Jesus? If you are a follower of Messiah Jesus, God is working in your life right now to help you be more like Him: “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
God gives us both the desire and the power to please Him. That is grace.
In Luke 15:11–32, we read the parable of the prodigal son who is a picture of pride. He says to his father, “Give me my inheritance early,” essentially saying, “I want to be my own authority.”
He wastes his life on foolish decisions and eventually hits rock bottom. Reduced to feeding pigs and longing for their food, he comes to his senses. Humbling himself, the prodigal returns to his father’s house, hoping to be taken back as a hired servant.
Similarly, everything in our lives comes from a good and gracious Father. We were never meant to live apart from Him. When we go our own way, we heap hardship and trials upon ourselves… yet He loves us too much to let us stay on our own wayward path!
The prodigal’s father is a picture of perfect grace. “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion… and ran and embraced him” (Luke 15:20). The son came ready to be a servant, but the father restored him as a son!
Do you identify with the prodigal son, seeking to run your own life? On the outside, everything may look fine, but in your heart, you know you are standing in opposition to God’s way. Left to ourselves, we all embody the fool. The cure is an encounter with God’s grace and His incredible love that runs toward us in our brokenness. You and I were never meant to do this life “our own way”!
The Beauty of Surrender
Now you may be wondering: “How do we surrender our pride and embrace God’s way?”
James 4:7 tells us: “Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”
The prefix sub of submit means to rank under. It is not natural for humans to relinquish control. It can only be done supernaturally.
When we encounter the God who created oxygen and stars – El Elyon, the Most High God who reigns over all – we realize our rightful place beneath Him. But when we act in pride, we give the enemy room to create chaos. Repenting and bringing ourselves under God’s authority removes Satan’s influence.
I want to encourage you to ask yourself: Am I willing to submit to God in every area of my life? This includes areas like work, finances, reputation, friendships, entertainment, future choices, and our physical bodies.
After you’ve thought this through, make a list of the areas in your life that you are surrendering. This is like you are saying, “God, your way is better.”
So, as James exhorts us – submit. And when you’re tempted to take control back – resist again. Scripture promises that eventually, the enemy will flee.
I don’t know who else may be wrestling with God, but I can assure you that I, myself, have been there. My pride has wanted me to hold onto bitterness, unforgiveness, my choices, and my future. But God – the patient and loving Father that He is – waited for me to relinquish all those things. He waited because He had something better to place in my tight-fisted hands. For when our hands are clenched, they cannot receive anything new.
So dear reader, I want to challenge you as a brother or sister in Messiah Jesus: today, do you have the courage to ask God to use His red pen of love in your life? When He highlights an area of pride in our lives, it is a sign of His attentive care. Without His “red pen,” pride will destroy us, our relationship with others, and ultimately our connection with Him.
This correction means we have our God’s loving attention. He loves us too much to leave us where we are; He wants to free us from pride and give us something far better…
Himself.
Written by Kori, Life in Messiah Staff Member
Where in my life is pride hiding, even when I don’t want to admit it?
How have I responded when God ‘highlights’ an area of pride in me – have I resisted, or asked for His red pen again?
In what ways can I pursue humility this week – through prayer, Scripture, or serving others?
Endnotes:
[1] Some biblical interpreters have understood a passage in Ezekiel 28 to echo the fall of Satan, noting the text’s elevated imagery of beauty, splendor, and pride. The figure described is adorned with precious stones and described as blameless until corruption was found, leading some to see a reflection of Satan’s pride, especially in verse 17: “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty.” Another passage often linked to this theme and often interpreted as describing the fall of Satan is Isaiah 14. Here, the prophet directs a taunt against the king of Babylon (14:4). The famous lines about the “Day Star” falling from heaven (14:12–15) are not words spoken aloud to God or angels, but are described as coming from the king’s own heart: “You said in your heart…” (Isaiah 14:13).
[2] Jim Logan, Reclaiming Surrendered Ground: Protecting Your Family From Spiritual Attacks (Chicago: Moody 1995), 108.
[3] Jim Logan, Reclaiming Surrendered Ground: Protecting Your Family From Spiritual Attacks (Chicago: Moody 1995), 109.
[4] https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5485/esv/mgnt/0-1/.