What is the root of all evil?
The love of money is a strong root of evil, but pride is the root of all evil.
Writing of satan Ezekiel described how pride was first found in heaven, so God took action:
... your (satan) heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom. So I (God)) cast you to earth ... (Ezekiel 28:17)
None, ever, has kicked the earth's dust that lived without pride.
Jesus reversed the work of the evil one. He taught virtue and not sin. He lived in humility.
Humility is:
- casting your eyes heavenward while painting your horizon low
- the clothing a Christian wears
- not being wise in your own eyes
- life in under-drive
- becoming what you despised and learning that you were wrong
- extending the generosity of spirit to those who are proud towards you, and
- the path of suffering is paved the with cobblestones of humility.
The Greek language wraps humility as an undignified inability or refusal to establish your merit. Shamefully, how often do we Christians still vye with each other to establish our own merit? (Mea Culpa)
... clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)
It was pride that changed angels into devils, yet it is humility that makes men as angels. ~ Augustine