"God Hates the Proud" 10/14/25

Dear brothers and sisters,

Proverbs 6:16

"There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: Haughty eyes..."

First of all sins, God hates haughty eyes.

Haughty eyes are a sure sign of the proud. 

One who looks down upon others from their self-made throne.

You all know the man. He walks with a swagger, the average joe isn't worth his time and attention. He's the real thing, "what this world needs," or so he thinks in his heart.

The Bible on Pride

Here's the thing, pride is easy to spot in others, but it's a disease common to all the human race. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit, they committed an act of rebellion, motivated by pride, thinking they could equal God Himself. 

Whenever man disobeys God, we communicate by our actions, "I know better and I won't let Him tell me what to do, I'll do what I want" and that, my friends, is pride.

"Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin." (Proverbs 21:4)

Did you catch that? The lamp that lights up the life of the wicked, that guides them is pride. The sad irony is that even Solomon the wise (writer and compiler of Proverbs) was not immune to the light of this lamp, soon he too for all his wisdom would fall headlong into the trap of pride. 

One of the greatest examples of pride is that of the prince of Tyre, who exalted Himself as a god among men. Listen to what God told Ezekiel to say to this king: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD: “Because your heart is proud, and you have said, ‘I am a god, I sit in the seat of the gods, in the heart of the seas,’ yet you are but a man, and no god, though you make your heart like the heart of a god— ... therefore, behold, I will bring foreigners upon you, the most ruthless of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor. They shall thrust you down into the pit, and you shall die the death of the slain in the heart of the seas. (Ezekiel 28:2, 7-8).

Pride takes many forms... 

• The proud poor man who refuses a helping hand, because he "doesn't need any help from anyone."

• The proud rich man who takes pride in all his possessions, while his soul remains impoverished.

• The famous man who lives off praise for his accomplishments and snorts coke and chases women to drown the feeling that he'll never be enough.

• The sore loser who put all his stock in winning

• The winner who also put his stock in winning. His life looks pretty good, but what happens when it's gone?

• The wise man that people run to for advice, because he's a man of clear thinking. He's playing with a pair of powerful drugs, called knowledge and fame.

• The foolish man who trumpets his wisdom wherever he goes, but really knows nothing.

• The religious variety that takes stock in good works and spiritual experiences: even one's faith can become a reason to pat oneself on the back.

• And last, but not least, there's the generic, "well I'm better than so and so".

• 
  

Confessions of a proud man

I wrote the list above with myself in mind. Some of these men I have been (and still am by nature), some of these portraits could be me in different circumstances. I am learning to be humble, because my God rescued me in spite of my pride. He showed me who I am and who He is and he's begun to make me like his Son.

Here's the thing: We were hardwired to accomplish great things. You were meant for more, but we were never meant to take credit for what is all a gift from the Creator.

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (1 Corinthians 4:7) 

 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:16-17)

The Great Perspective Changer

Read Isaiah chapter six.

Caught up to heaven in a vision, Isaiah saw one glimpse of the corner of the royal robes of God Almighty, thrice holy, and he was on his knees, fully aware of his unworthiness.

"Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips" (Isaiah 6:5)

What happens next? (see Isaiah 6:6-9)

God raises up the man who sees Himself rightly (as unclean before God), cleanses him, and sends him on mission. 

The good news hasn't changed. God takes the humble, the ones who know they are unworthy, cleanses them by the blood of His Son, and sends them to proclaim His Word.

Friend, God is calling you to bow before His matchless worth. Through the blood of Jesus, He invites you into His awesome presence where all pride is stripped away and all that's left is "Here I am, send me".

Beware of haughty eyes. All the great saints faced moments when their pride came crawling up out of the grave. The difference - they were armed with the truth that crushes pride before it crushes you. What truth? The truth that we can stand before a Holy God, only because of his grace. On him we must lean, lest we fall.

Know the truth of your unworthiness and his grace, and walk humbly before a Holy God.

Remember brothers, the Lord "opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6)

Grace & Peace,

Matt