God hates haughty eyes...

Did you know that there’s a list of things God hates in the Bible? There is. I kid you not. God comes right and says, “These are the things I hate.”

As friends of his, as his child, I think that’s kind of nice. He doesn’t hide his dislikes from me. Comes right out and says what he thinks so I can change.

I ran across his list this past week. It’s found in that collection of wise sayings we call Proverbs. It’s a short list – six, seven things. I guess we can be thankful for that. It’d be pretty bad if there were 100 or so. We’d be constantly on God’s nerves. At least I would be.

So what’s on the list?

Glad you asked. God says, through the writer of Proverbs, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” (Proverbs 6:16-19, NIV)

There you have it. The things God dislikes most.

Any surprises?

There was one for me the first time I read this list. Item #1, haughty eyes, blew me away not too many years ago. I was an arrogant college student. (Ok. It’s been awhile.) Thought I was better than everyone else. Looked down my nose at those who struggled in class. Criticized those who didn’t live a godly life. Mocked those slower than me on the track.

God grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and humbled me as I read Proverbs 6:17’s first two words. He knocked some sense into my thick skull as I read, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes,” and stopped. I felt the Holy Spirit’s conviction. My pride was sin – sin that God hated, that he found detestable. I fell to my knees under the weight of my guilt. This was real guilt, you understand. I had haughty eyes. I was sinning against God and others. I was a judgmental fool.

I repented. With tears of sorrow streaming down my cheeks, I rejected pride.

2 Corinthians 7:10-11 describes well what happened to me that day. “Godly sorrow,” Paul writes, “brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done…” (NIV)

When my repenting was done and I was assured of God’s forgiveness, my sorrow over my sin turned to hatred of it. God gave his hatred of haughty eyes to me that day. I detested it in myself. Every time I was tempted to pride after that, I rejected it. I was not going back to my old ways. And I hated it in others. Hated what it did to the proud person, destroying their heart. Hated what it did to the poor people the proud snubbed, ruining their sense of worth.

Let me be 100% honest with you today. Because I lived in sin for so many years, it became a hard-to-shake habit. Pride still tempts me. Grandiose thoughts pop into my head unbidden. Judgment comes to mind quickly. I have to be constantly on guard or critical thoughts become damaging words.

I’m deeply grateful to God that His Spirit gives me the power to say no. Without him, I couldn’t do it. No way I could on my own.

Do you struggle with the sin of pride? There is a way out. Repent of your sin. Confess it to God and be freed from your bondage to this awful task master.

You cannot conquer pride on your own. Ask for forgiveness. God will grant your request. Ask for help. God will give strength every time the temptation to snub others or criticize or judge arises.

God hates haughty eyes.

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