“…The one who has a haughty look and a proud (arrogant) heart I will not tolerate.” – Psalm 101:5, AMP

At a ministers’ conference years ago, the minister turned to the audience and asked those who knew that they are humble to raise their hands.

Yours truly was one of the majority whose hands shot up without any hesitation. 

Then he asked us to put our hands down.

“I am glad that I am in good company because apparently everyone here is a proud person,” he began.

“A humble person would never say that they are humble,” he said.

“When you say that you’re a humble person, you’re inadvertently indicating that you are not.”

In the Hebrew, the word for ‘pride’ carries both positive and negative connotations, depending on how it is used.

It can refer to a healthy sense of self-esteem, but it can also describe haughty self-exaltation and arrogance.

In the Greek, the word for ‘haughty’ means ‘showing oneself above others.’

Haughtiness is viewed negatively because it involves an inflated sense of self-importance and a tendency to look down on others.

It can manifest through being condescending of others, or espousing the attitude that one is inherently superior over the rest.

In our meditation today, David declares; “The one who has a haughty look and a proud (arrogant) heart I will not tolerate.”

There is a story in 1 Samuel 25 of David’s encounter with a haughty and arrogant individual called Nabal, which appropriately means ‘fool’ in the Hebrew.

Well, David and his men had been living near the area where Nabal’s flocks were kept and they had protected Nabal’s shepherds and flocks from harm.

When the time came for sheep shearing – generally a time of festivity – David sent a message to Nabal, politely asking for some food for himself and his men, as a gesture of goodwill.

This greatly angered Mr. Nabal, and insulted David, questioning his identity. “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse?” He asked David’s messengers. (1 Samuel 25:10-11).

David, angered by Nabal’s insolence, ordered his men to pick up their arms and attack Nabal’s household.

But thank God for wise and prudent wives! Abigail, Nabal’s wife, got wind of her husband’s behavior towards David and acted fast to avert a major disaster.

God does have a very low tolerance threshold for haughty arrogant people and so do I.

“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

“And the afflicted people You wilt save: but your eyes are upon the haughty, that you may bring them down.” (2 Samuel 22:28).

The high [trees] of stature shall be cut down, and the haughty shall be humbled” (Isaiah 10:33).

Haughtiness manifests through an annoying superiority complex and disdain towards others.

Of course, we have all been victims at the hands of someone who thought that their race, culture, nationality, ‘prophet,’ ‘anointing,’ dress code, car, appearance or skin colour were superior to yours.

He/she looked at you as one who was beneath them and not worth their attention or company.

Haughty individuals are typically quick to judge others; they are snobbish and espouse a high level of entitledness – thinking that they deserve special treatment or privileges, and that their status sets them apart from the ‘commoners.’

With such an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance, abilities, or superiority over others, it is easy to see why God “resists” the proud and arrogant.

Proverbs 16:18 says; “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”

James 4:6 says; “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (See also 1 Peter 5:5).

Today, God reminds us to reject haughtiness and instead humble ourselves under His mighty hand like our Lord Jesus did, so that He may exalt us in due season.