How can we apply "my eyes are not haughty" in our relationships? Opening verse “O LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I do not aspire to great things or matters too lofty for me.” (Psalm 131:1) What “haughty eyes” look like • Measuring others by appearance, status, intellect, or achievement • Assuming our opinions are always right and must be heard first • Looking past people who seem unimportant to us • Treating someone’s failure as proof of our superiority • Subtle contempt—an eye-roll, a dismissive glance, an impatient sigh Why God takes haughty eyes seriously • “Haughty eyes” top the list of what the LORD hates (Proverbs 6:16-17). • “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). • Pride fuels every other sin (Proverbs 21:4) and blocks fellowship both with God and with people. Heart checks to keep our eyes low • Remember who we are: sinners saved by grace (Romans 3:23-24). • Recall what we deserve: nothing good apart from Christ (Ephesians 2:1-5). • Rehearse who God is: high and holy, yet He “regards the humble” (Isaiah 57:15). • Review Christ’s example: “He humbled Himself” for us (Philippians 2:5-8). Relational practices that replace haughtiness with humility • Listen first, speak later — give full attention without planning a rebuttal (James 1:19). • Celebrate others’ successes instead of competing (Romans 12:15). • Serve in unnoticed tasks: clean-up, child care, setup—honor others quietly (John 13:14-15). • Offer gentle correction, not smug criticism (Galatians 6:1). • Use eye contact to convey respect, never condescension. • Ask genuine questions that draw out another’s story (Proverbs 20:5). Scriptural portraits to imitate • Jonathan encouraging David, handing over his royal robe (1 Samuel 18:3-4). • John the Baptist: “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30). • Barnabas seeking Saul and giving him a platform (Acts 11:25-26). Daily self-check • Was my first instinct today to serve or to be noticed? • Did my eyes linger in admiration of someone’s worth—or in judgment? • Have I thanked God for any ability or position rather than presuming I earned it? • Did I treat the least visible person with the same honor as the most influential? Summary truths to carry forward • Haughty eyes fracture relationships; humble eyes knit hearts together. • The cure is not self-belittlement but Christ-focused gratitude. • Lowered eyes invite deeper friendships, stronger marriages, healthier churches. • In every interaction, choose the lens of Philippians 2:3 — “in humility consider others more important than yourselves.” |
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