Proverbs 6:16-19 - A Proud Look

16These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.
-Proverbs 6:16-19

The fact that God is a God of love has led many to believe that hate is something far from His nature. This is explicitly false. Proverbs provides us with a list of things that the Lord hates. I find it important that we go through each one of these as they are listed out. These are abominable to Him. As those that seek to love what the Lord loves and hate what He hates, we should heed this.

The first is a proud look. This shouldn't come as a surprise to us as believers considering the amount of text throughout Scripture that speaks of humility and pride. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Pride is what brought about the fall of man. It also is the primary thing that keeps individuals from submitting their lives to the Lord. Submission requires humility. Pride says we can do this on our own. Even still, as born again believers, we must be cautious not to walk in pride. Far too often I hear of believers being slow to turn to the Lord in prayer or in His word because they want to solve their problems themselves. Similarly, and more commonly, believers will continue to punish themselves if they have slipped up in sin instead of running to the Father for forgiveness. It is not the same thing as the proud look, but it is rooted in pride.

As the Lord detests pride, the Lord love humility. Humble yourself before the Lord today and make it a regular practice. Cling to Him and stay far from pride. In all you do, do it to the glory of God.