I asked my husband about my question about the root of all sin: was it fear or pride? Once again, my husband was wonderful and said that it was a little bit of both. He brought up a recent TV show we were watching where a character could take a dose of medication and get superhero powers. At first, he wanted to take the medication because he wanted to be able to protect his loved ones. He wanted to do it out of fear that something bad could happen to himself and those he loved. However, once he experienced the superpowers, his pride did come into play, he felt a surge of that sense of power, and he liked it and wanted to continue to feel powerful.
The other day, I brought up Eve in the Garden of Eden. I realize it is the same combination. She was confused and scared, but she also had the pride of wanting to have the knowledge that the tree provided. If I look at someone rich, they fear losing what they have, but they also have pride in the power that their money provides them. If I look at a politician, they fear losing their power, but they also have pride in being a public figure and having power from it. There’s a terrible combination of fear and pride that work in combination that leads to the worst of sin.
The purpose for me to understand this idea isn’t to condemn anyone, but to change my life. I must realize that anytime I feel a sense of pride or fear I must be very careful because the temptation for sin is going to be higher than normal. Most importantly, I must realize that if I ever find myself in a situation where I feel myself in a combination of pride and fear, then I need to reevaluate the situation because I will definitely be in a situation where I am tempted to sin and make bad choices.
My faith saved me. May God’s peace reside in all of our hearts.
