Is my humility just a facade?

Why is true humility so hard to find? Because it goes against everything we are bombarded with from the day we are born. The world cherishes power, riches, fame, prestige, and beauty. From the time most of us were toddlers, our parents encouraged us to do better then others. Schools use pride and competition to motivate students to surpass others in both academics and athletics. They hold elections for students to vote for who is the most popular. Some schools issue bumper stickers to the parents of honor students so those parents can brag about their children. 

From primary school through college, we are encouraged to pursue careers that will give us prestige, wealth, and power over others. Schools and colleges also spur us to have collective pride— pride in our school, pride in our state, and pride in our country. We’re supposed to think that our school is the best in the state or the nation. Why? Because we go there. Our country is the best country on earth. Why? Because we live in it. If we lived in another country, we would be told that country is the best on earth. 

So from the time we are toddlers, we have been trained to foster pride in ourselves and in everything connected to us. No wonder humility is hard to cultivate! We’ve been programmed for pride, not humility.

So it is little wonder that by the time we reach adulthood we are glutted with pride. Yet Christians imagine that because years ago they said a prayer in which they acknowledged that they were sinners and needed Christ for salvation, that means they have somehow conquered pride. In reality, all that has usually happened is that they’ve embraced a theological position. Their hearts are as full of pride as ever.

Just because you may look the part, this doesn't mean you are a part of the Kingdom of God