Fight your pride

Luke 18:9-14 says,
"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'  "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'  "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Is it prideful to say you're a humble person?  If pride comes naturally, then doesn't a person need to strive hard to be humble?  Is the Pharisee in Jesus' parable prideful or just striving to please God by not being a bad person?  Is the tax collector humble or broken because he is a bad person?

I believe a person is humble when they are constantly broken over their sin and motivated to glorify God in everything because of His forgiveness.  Are you a person who is characterized by humility?  Are you reluctant to receive praise because you know everything you are and have done is by God's grace?  If not, then fight your pride and be broken over Jesus' love.  Then you will see humility in your life as you constantly look to give God praise!

Tim