“There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.” Proverbs 30:13 Agur now describes the outward appearance of pride. “Lofty” eyes and “lifted up” eyelids picture a person looking down upon others. Pride begins in the heart, but eventually it affects the way we view people, speak to them, and treat them. Proverbs 6:16-17 says that among the things the LORD hates is “A proud look.” Pride is especially dangerous because it often hides itself from the person who possesses it. Proverbs 16:18 warns, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” The proud person may feel strong, independent, or superior, but God sees pride as weakness because it makes a person unwilling to receive correction, admit fault, or depend upon Him. Jesus gave the opposite example. Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Though Christ was worthy of all honour, He “made himself of no reputation” and “humbled himself” (Philippians 2:7-8). True greatness in Scripture is not found in elevating ourselves above others, but in willingly serving them. Luke 18 shows this contrast clearly. The Pharisee stood before God comparing himself favourably with other men, while the publican would “not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven” and cried for mercy. Jesus concluded, “for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14). Practically, pride often appears in subtle ways: becoming easily offended when corrected, assuming our judgment is better than everyone else's, looking down on people because of their failures, or constantly wanting recognition. Romans 12:3 tells every man “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.” Proverbs 30:13 should therefore make us examine not only how we act, but how we view others. Do we quietly consider ourselves better, wiser, more disciplined, or more spiritual than those around us? God gives a simple remedy in James 4:10: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

“There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” Proverbs 30:12 Agur describes people who believe themselves to be clean while remaining spiritually filthy. The problem is not simply sin, but blindness to sin. They have judged themselves by their own standard and declared themselves acceptable. Proverbs 16:2 warns, “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.” This is one of the great dangers of self-righteousness. We naturally compare ourselves with people who seem worse than we are, and that comparison can make us feel clean. Jesus addressed this in Luke 18 when the Pharisee thanked God that he was not like other men, while the publican simply cried, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13). The publican saw his need; the Pharisee saw only his superiority. Isaiah 64:6 says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Even our best efforts cannot cleanse the guilt of sin. True cleansing must come from God. First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Notice that Agur says they are “pure in their own eyes.” Our own opinion of ourselves is therefore an unreliable measure of spiritual condition. David understood this when he prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts” (Psalm 139:23). Instead of asking whether we think we are doing well, we should allow Scripture to expose what may be hidden from us. This verse also warns against becoming comfortable with sin simply because we have renamed or justified it. Pride can become “confidence,” greed can become “ambition,” bitterness can become “discernment,” and compromise can become “freedom.” Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us that “The heart is deceitful above all things.” We need God’s Word to correct the stories we tell ourselves. Practically, Proverbs 30:12 calls us to regular, honest self-examination. Rather than asking, “Am I better than others?” we should ask, “Is there anything in me that displeases God?” Spiritual health begins when we stop defending ourselves and become willing to be corrected.

“There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.” Proverbs 30:11 Agur begins describing a generation marked by deep moral disorder, and he starts with the home. That is significant. Disrespect toward parents is not treated in Scripture as a small attitude problem, but as evidence that something is wrong in the heart. God commanded, “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12). Honour is more than outward obedience; it includes respect, gratitude, and a recognition of the place God has given parents. The verse says they “curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.” One side is active rebellion, while the other is the absence of honour. A person may never openly curse a parent and still fail by becoming cold, ungrateful, dismissive, or disrespectful. Scripture does not only condemn open hostility; it calls us positively to honour. Ephesians 6:2 says, “Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise.” Even as a person grows older and is no longer under parental authority in the same way, the principle of honour remains. Growing into adulthood does not give us permission to become arrogant toward those who raised us. This verse also exposes how pride often begins close to home. It is easy to appear respectful in public while treating family members with impatience or contempt. First Timothy 5:4 says that children and nephews should “learn first to shew piety at home.” Genuine godliness should be visible first in the way we treat the people nearest to us. That does not mean parents are always right, nor does honour require participating in sin. Acts 5:29 establishes the higher principle: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” But disagreement can still be handled with humility and respect. Biblical honour is not blind submission; it is refusing to let disagreement become contempt. Practically, Proverbs 30:11 should make us examine our attitude toward our parents. Do we speak to them with patience? Are we grateful for what they have done? Do we speak well of them when they are not present? A rebellious spirit often reveals itself first in familiar relationships where we feel free to drop restraint.

“Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.” Proverbs 30:10 This verse warns against using our words to damage another person, especially someone in a weaker position. A servant depended heavily upon his master’s opinion of him. A careless, exaggerated, or false accusation could cost him his livelihood and reputation. Agur therefore warns us not to interfere destructively in matters that do not belong to us. Scripture repeatedly emphasizes the seriousness of accusation. Exodus 20:16 says, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” Proverbs 18:8 also warns that “The words of a talebearer are as wounds.” Words can travel quickly, but once someone’s reputation has been damaged, the consequences can remain long after the accusation itself is forgotten. The verse does not mean that genuine wrongdoing should never be reported. Scripture clearly provides for truthful witnesses and proper judgment. The warning is against needless accusation, gossip, slander, or speaking against someone without sufficient cause. Proverbs 25:9 says, “Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another.” Often the godly approach is to deal directly and privately with the person rather than immediately taking the matter above them. “Lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty” shows that God takes injustice seriously even when the injured person has little earthly power. The servant might have no authority over his accuser, but God sees what happened. Psalm 34:15 says, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” A person may successfully damage another’s reputation before men and still stand guilty before God. This principle applies strongly to gossip. Sometimes we excuse harmful speech because what we are saying is technically true. But Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying.” Before speaking negatively about someone, we should ask whether the matter needs to be said, whether we know it to be true, and whether we are speaking to the right person.

“Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.” Provwrbs 30:9 This verse explains why Agur prayed for “neither poverty nor riches” in the previous verse. He understood something important about human nature: both abundance and desperation can become spiritual dangers. His concern was not primarily financial comfort, but faithfulness to God. The first danger is being “full.” Prosperity can quietly produce self-sufficiency. When every need seems supplied, a person may begin living as though he no longer needs God. Moses gave Israel the same warning in Deuteronomy 8:11: “Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God.” Later he warned that after they had eaten and were full, their hearts might be lifted up and they might forget the Lord who delivered them. Agur imagines the prosperous man saying, “Who is the LORD?” This does not necessarily mean outright atheism. A person can profess belief in God while practically living as though God is unnecessary. Hosea 13:6 says, “According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.” Success can make us credit ourselves for blessings that ultimately came from God. The opposite danger is poverty: “lest I be poor, and steal.” Severe need can tempt a person to justify sin because of difficult circumstances. Agur knows that hardship does not automatically produce holiness. A suffering person can become bitter, dishonest, or desperate just as easily as a prosperous person can become proud. His deepest concern is that he might “take the name of my God in vain.” He does not want his conduct to dishonour the God he claims to serve. David prayed similarly in Psalm 119:10: “O let me not wander from thy commandments.” Agur values God’s name above his own financial circumstances. Paul later expresses the answer to both extremes in Philippians 4:12: “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound.” Whether possessing little or much, Paul had learned to remain dependent upon Christ. That is the maturity Agur is seeking.