Whether you are proud or not, you will be accused of being so.  David’s brother said he was proud (1 Samuel 17:28 NLT), yet he knew the condition of his heart.  He could have remained in the sheepfolds as well as rise to be a king.  Lofty eyes always stem from a proud heart.

Pride tends to make us jealous of those above us, and disdain those under us.  Lofty eyes motivate us to look to our position in life for our acceptance.  We compare ourselves with others in our performance to derive our value.  Our hearts have a tendency towards vanity like a baby seeks its mother’s breasts.  David describes himself as a weaned child (v. 2).  David had a quieted soul because he did not strive for a station in life that was higher or lower than God had chosen for him.  The most significant people in this life often to do not recognize their greatness, which may be a distinct characteristic of humility. David realized his own limitations as he said, “Nor do I involve myself in great matters or in things too difficult for me.”  This may have been the key to his child-like dependence on God. 

A haughty look is a product of what motivates us.  If we are jealous of those over us or despise those under us, we have lofty eyes. David knew the accusation about his motivation was false because he felt no need to strive for authority.  We all have the tendency for pride in our hearts, but David encourages us that we can be weaned from it.

I worked for seventeen years as a missionary with Youth With A Mission.  My missionary work has taken me to Mexico, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Spain, and Ukraine.  I hold a Masters of Education in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Commonwealth University.  [email protected]