When Pride Kept Me from Falling

I was walking through the store the other day when my foot twisted. You know that split second where your whole body starts to tip, and something deep inside says, “Not here. Not now.” That was pride. Not the loud, chest-out kind—but the silent kind that stiffens your spine just enough to keep you from hitting the floor.

Later, I laughed. Pride saved me from a scene. But by the time I got to the car, humility showed up holding an ice pack.

There’s a funny side to pride we don’t talk about much. We usually see it as something to be broken, something ugly that hides beneath our best intentions. But sometimes, pride is just trying to hold our dignity together. It keeps us upright when life tries to trip us.

Still, pride doesn’t heal—it only prevents the fall. Healing comes when we sit down afterward and admit, “Yeah, that hurt more than I wanted to show.”

Maybe the goal isn’t to get rid of pride completely but to notice which version shows up. The puffed-up pride that blocks connection—or the quiet one that gives us a second to steady ourselves before humility takes the wheel.

Because let’s be honest: sometimes, the Lord lets pride keep us from falling in public—so He can teach us to rest in private.

Reflection:
Maybe the balance between pride and humility isn’t about choosing one over the other—it’s about timing. Pride steadies us for the moment, humility steadies us for the journey. Both can serve a purpose when surrendered to God.

Scripture to Rest In:
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” — James 4:6

Grace is what meets us between the stumble and the stand.