What sin do you think God hates the most? Murder? Rape? Child abuse? Drug trafficking? The more I study Scripture, the more I’m convinced that pride is the sin God detests most. When Solomon listed seven things that are detestable to God, the very first on the list was “haughty eyes” (Proverbs 6:16-17). Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

In his classic book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis calls pride “the great sin” and says other sins are mere “fleabites” in comparison. He wrote, “Pride is spiritual cancer. It eats up the very possibility of love, contentment, or even common sense.”

Pride is at the root of nearly every spiritual fall. It was the source of Lucifer’s rebellion against God, which led to his expulsion from heaven. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit because they were seduced by Satan’s lie that they could be like God. Ezekiel 16:50 tells us that the Sodomites were proud of their sexual perversion and refused to repent, leading to the city’s destruction. 2 Chronicles 32:25 says Hezekiah’s heart became proud. Because of his pride, he did not respond to God’s kindness, bringing the Lord’s wrath upon him.

The arrogant often believe they can live life on their own and that they don’t need God. Frank Sinatra famously sang “I Did It My Way”:

“For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels,
And not the words of one who kneels…”

But the Bible warns, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end, it leads to death”(Proverbs 14:12). Sinatra, known for his self-reliance, reportedly requested to be buried with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey, a pack of Camel cigarettes, and a Zippo lighter. But in his final moments, his last words to his wife Barbara were, “I’m losing.” As Psalm 10:4 explains, “In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”

There is such a thing as healthy pride. The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians he took pride in them. So, having a healthy appreciation for significant accomplishments is not wrong. And there is nothing wrong with a bumper sticker that reads, “I’m proud of my honor roll student.”

But sinful pride is an inflated sense of importance. The Bible calls it thinking too highly of oneself. We often identify it as arrogance or egotism. At its extreme, it can manifest as narcissism—a person who is entirely self-absorbed.

C.S. Lewis said, “There is no fault which makes a man more unpopular, and no fault which we are more unconscious of in ourselves. And the more we have it in ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.”

Those who despise former President Donald Trump frequently point to his arrogance as the primary reason for their disdain. Even Trump’s staunchest supporters admit that his self-promotion is a significant turnoff. Many lament, “If he would just show a little humility, he’d win the election in a landslide.” “God opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the humble”—and people do too.

I’ve often wondered why entertainers with similar values and backgrounds as Donald Trump—such as Howard Stern, Robert De Niro, and George Clooney—seem to loathe him so intensely. Perhaps, as C.S. Lewis suggested, “The more we have it in ourselves, the more we dislike it in others.”

Let’s be honest—none of us is exempt. We all battle pride daily. Years ago, I received a summons for jury duty. My initial thought was, “I’m too busy for this! I can’t take a week off for jury duty!”Someone even suggested, “Bob, surely you don’t have to do that. You know enough people who can get you out of it.”

I started thinking, That’s right! I’m a megachurch minister. I shouldn’t have to sit in a courthouse for a week, waiting to be interviewed for some minor case. I know Judge Tom Wine, the County Prosecutor. I’ll give him a call.

I phoned Tom and said, “Tom, I got a jury summons for next week.”

Without missing a beat, Tom responded, “Yes, I believe everyone ought to serve. We’ve had doctors, professors, CEOs—people from all walks of life—doing their civic duty.”

Realizing I wouldn’t get out of it, I quickly backpedaled, “I agree. I just wondered where I should park when I come downtown!”

It was a humbling moment, reminding me of Isaiah’s warning: “The eyes of the arrogant will be humbled, and human pride brought low” (Isaiah 2:11).

The word “humility” comes from the Latin word humus, meaning earth or ground. When Adam yielded to the temptation of pride and ate the forbidden fruit, wanting to be like God, the Lord reminded him, “…for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).

While God detests pride, He delights in those who humble themselves and admit, “I am a sinner in need of forgiveness. I am mortal and in need of victory over death. I cannot achieve it on my own, but Jesus can.” Jesus promises, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4).

Christian musician and comedian Mark Lowry once shared a humbling experience early in his career. He traveled 250 miles to perform at a church, and after speaking, he received no honorarium, no travel reimbursement, not even a meal. On the long drive home, he felt sorry for himself and prayed, “Lord, your servant didn’t get paid tonight.”

Lowry said he heard a still, small voice reply, “All you deserve is the fires of hell; anything else is a bonus.” He added, “When we understand who God is—holy and almighty—and who we are—unrighteous and lowly—it humbles us.”

The Christian life is filled with paradoxes. We die to live. We give to receive. We lose ourselves to find ourselves. We surrender to experience victory. We humble ourselves to be exalted. And here’s another: we weep and wail over our sins to find joy in God’s grace.

“…All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:5-6).