“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” (Galatians 5:25-26).
Conceit is something that is both easily recognizable and almost imperceptible. You see, characteristics like conceit and envy are often glaringly obvious in others but may be virtually undetectable within ourselves. For instance, consider the following characterization offered by the author C.S. Lewis.
In his book, The Screwtape Letters, Lewis recounts the efforts of a fictional demon as he counsels a young apprentice in the art of turning the virtue of humility into something else…
“Your patient has become humble; have you drawn his attention to the fact? All virtues are less formidable to us once the man is aware that he has them, but this is specially true of humility. Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, ‘By jove! I’m being humble’, and almost immediately pride—pride at his own humility—will appear.
If he awakes to the danger and tries to smother this new form of pride, make him proud of his attempt—and so on, through as many stages as you please. But don’t try this too long, for fear you awake his sense of humour and proportion, in which case he will merely laugh at you and go to bed.” (1)
This humorous narrative carries an important message, as do the insights of the following commentators…
“Everyone needs a certain amount of approval from others. But those who go out of their way to secure honors or to win popularity become conceited and show they are not following the Holy Spirit’s leading. Those who look to God for approval won’t need to envy others. Because we are God’s sons and daughters, we have his Holy Spirit as the loving guarantee of his approval. Seek to please God, and the approval of others won’t seem so important.” (2)
“This whole chapter lends itself to a searching examination of ourselves. We often think that our problems and difficulties are all outside of ourselves. We think that we would be fine if everyone just treated us right and if circumstances just got better. But that ignores the tenor of this chapter: the problems are in us, and need to be dealt with by the Spirit of God. Augustine used to often pray, ‘Lord, deliver me from that evil man, myself.’ With that kind of reality check, we can see a new world, and a new life – and not one other person or one other circumstance has to change. All we must do is yield to the Spirit of God, and begin to truly walk in the Spirit.” (3)
(1) C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters pg. 69
(2) Life Application Study Bible NKJV (Galatians 5:26). Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2004 by Tyndale House Publishers Inc., all rights reserved.
(3) David Guzik, Galatians 5 – Standing Fast In the Liberty of Jesus © Copyright – Enduring Word https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/galatians-5/