4th century BC
Plato
- Idealism — forms over particulars
- The Republic ethic: “God is not the author of evil”
Notes
This song opens the album because nothing else can happen until the monster is named. The record is called From Pride to Praise, and you cannot make that journey until you have looked the pride dead in the face and called it what it is. So track one names it. And notice the title - Our Pride Monster. Not the world's. Not theirs. Mine. Ours.
The line that costs the most is in the first verse: the monster feeds on theological debate. I know that one from the inside. For years I thought my hunger to be right was zeal for the truth. A lot of the time it was just feeding the monster. Winning an argument can taste exactly like serving God, and it is one of the easiest counterfeits in the Christian life - because the monster is clever enough to wear the costume of contending for the faith.
But hear what the song does not say. It does not say stop caring about truth. Look at verse four: we can confront error with a gentle embrace. That is the whole turn. You do not kill the pride monster by going soft on error. You kill it by fixing your eyes on Christ until error stops being a thing you hunt and starts being a thing you grieve. Name the monster, still the proud heart, and the album can begin.
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Pride, a monster lurking deep within,
Feeds on theological debate and sin.
It whispers in our ear, “you’re always right,”
Blinding us to our faults and inner light.
[Chorus]
Still my proud heart, O gentle Lord, and fill me with Your peace;
Let kindness rule my every thought, and selfish striving cease.
[Verse 2]
The cynic’s eye sees error everywhere,
With fault-finding as its constant affair.
It seeks to divide and tear apart,
Striving to break the unity of heart.
[Chorus]
Still my proud heart, O gentle Lord, and fill me with Your peace;
Let kindness rule my every thought, and selfish striving cease.
[Verse 3]
But let us not be consumed by pride,
Let love and compassion be our guide.
Encouragement, not fault-finding, let us sow,
With hearts full of love, and Christ aglow.
[Verse 4]
For when we seek to satisfy our thirst,
With Christ, our pride monster is reversed.
With eyes fixed on Him, our hearts full of grace,
We can confront error with a gentle embrace.
[Chorus]
Still my proud heart, O gentle Lord, and fill me with Your peace;
Let kindness rule my every thought, and selfish striving cease.
[Verse 5]
So let us seek to kill our pride monster within,
And not be nitpickers, but lovers of kin.
May our hearts overflow with joy and love,
As we seek His glory like a pleasant dove.
[Chorus x2]
Still my proud heart, O gentle Lord, and fill me with Your peace;
Let kindness rule my every thought, and selfish striving cease.
Commentary