Evil Is As Evil Doesn’t

(Proverbs 3:29 KJV)  Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.

This seems to be a no-brainer but if that were true it would not be included in Proverbs.

What kind of excuses do we make for the way we treat people?  Do we claim they deserve it, or that it is their fault or that we could not help how things turned out?  We have a million lines but they all ignore a clear command. 

“Devise” (2790a) has the implication of deliberation.  Notice that the number has an “a” after it.  There seem to be two Hebrew words that are homonyms but have totally different meanings.  This one has the idea of cutting into and is used either artistically, as to engrave, or as labor, as in plowing a field. 

So?  Spend some time reflecting on how you look at the people around you.  What are you planning for their lives?  Nothing, you say?  Maybe doing nothing is a lower standard than God would have of His ambassadors.