Haughty Eyes
7 Things the Lord Hates
Proverbs 6:16–17
16 There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
17 haughty eyes, …
As we continue to learn wisdom from the ancient book of Proverbs, the Word of God gives us a direct statement that we all should consider: These are the 6/7 things the Lord hates….
At first, I assumed that this may be a restatement of the 10 Commandments denouncing idolatry, coveting, and theft. Instead, I see this list of 6/7 as personalizing the commands we try to keep at arm’s length.
The first is haughty eyes. Haughty is not a word we use often, so I want to make sure we understand what it means. Haughty is to be arrogant, judgmental, and snobbish. It is to judge that I am better than you, more important than you, or deserving of more than you.
Haughtiness has a direct effect on our personal and spiritual lives. First, it causes problems relationally as we no longer see others as image bearers of God whom He loves, but see others as competitors in the game of life. The haughty want to put others down as they elevate themselves.
Haughtiness also has a spiritual component. It is a failure to remember our place in the eyes of God. We are nothing without God making us something. We are doomed without God’s deliverance. We are separated without His salvation. The haughty forget the mercy received and, as a result, fail to show mercy to those around them.
I am reminded this morning of Jesus’ parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21–35. The man who is forgiven a debt that was impossible to repay then goes and punishes a debtor of his for a paltry sum in comparison.
We are prone to have haughty eyes when we forget our salvation and start to assume we deserve or earn God’s love. We are quick to judge, assume, and demean others for the very things we have been and are guilty of ourselves.
To combat haughty eyes, I encourage you today to pray a prayer of thanksgiving for all that the Lord has done for you! Thanksgiving for the grace you have received can be the antidote to the haughtiness you harbor!
