Proverbs 6:16-19 (ESV)
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”
Our culture teaches us that all sins are equal. Whereas there is truth in this statement in the sense that all sin is rebellion to God and separates us from God, we should not assume therefore that every sin carries the same weight in terms of its consequence and level of offence to God. Our passage today reveals to us certain things that God singles out as being detestable to Him, things that He hates and loathes. This clearly shows that these sins are deadlier than others and we should watch out lest we be ensnared by them. In the words of Cornelius Plantinga, _“All sin is equally wrong but not all sin is equally bad”._
The first in the list of the things that God hates and detests are haughty eyes. This phrase ‘haughty eyes’ in the ESV and other modern translations has been translated as ‘proud look’ in the KJV and NKJV. To have haughty eyes means that one has a proud and arrogant demeanour. It means that one considers themselves better than others and worse, whether they know it or not, better than God. Pride is such a deadly sin that God keeps shining a spotlight on it. And worse still, it is one of those sins that can easily be concealed because it is internal, a matter of the heart. We must therefore cut off any form of pride in us because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6. And because sometimes we may be deceived to think that we are humble and yet are proud, we ought to turn to the one who truly knows us and cry in prayer as David does in Psalm 139:23-24:
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts
And see if there be any grievous way in me,_
and lead me in the way everlasting!
Reflections
1. Do you agree with the statement, “All sins are equally wrong but not all sins are equally bad”?
2. What is your action point from today’s devotion?
