“PRIDE of complacency is commonly called pride of vanity. It is self-love demanding self-esteem or the esteem of others. Yet it is not so much the self-esteem that is sought as it is the craving for the good opinion of others. That is, one suffering from this type of pride is anxious to be well thought of in regard to things spiritual, mental, or physical, so he thinks or speaks or acts vainly.

“Pride of vanity, then, brings about a false motive of conduct, for he who labors for the esteem of others forgets that God bestows gifts of body and soul and that God gives the grace for the use of those gifts. God wants each one to acknowledge his debt. What does it profit to gain the esteem of others, if one is forgetful of God? Why should anyone work from a false motive and thus spoil what would otherwise be good? What does vanity profit? Why not work for God, giving Him due credit? Why make self or others a motive of conduct?

“It is true that humility is the truth about oneself. Nevertheless, he who is truly spiritual, or intellectual, or who lives up to a fine standard in general, or who is close to perfection, striving earnestly for it, could still be the subject of vanity. He may fail to recognize what God has given Him or he could use his gifts in the wrong way. He could make his motive of conduct the esteem of others. It is also true that those who are far from gifted in any way can be under the spell of vanity, because of working for the esteem of others.”

— Rev. James McElhone, How to Root out Hidden Faults

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