No, They Are Not Like Us

Proverbs 17:19 (BES) A lover of sin rejoices in strifes;

This is an interesting way to translate this verse.  It is short, pithy and to the point.  It reminds us of something that we need to be reminded of.  I had this discussion just last week after the morning sermon.  We were talking about how people can be so hateful.  We were thinking specifically about terrorism, but it was more general than that.  The dear lady I was talking to had a real hard time wrapping her head around the fact that people are just plain evil.  They are nasty. 

So?  I guess we start by making sure we’re not one of them, the God’s love motivates us.  At the same time we need to acknowledge that there are people, many people, can I say even most people, who do not love Him.  Be aware. 

Carnal Breakfast

Proverbs 4:17 (KJV) For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

I noticed that the Septuagint has an interesting spin on this verse,

Proverbs 4:17 (BES) For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.

I don’t know enough Hebrew and Greek to tell how much of this is just a paraphrase like the living Bible and how much is in the original languages, but I like the idea that they don’t just eat on wickedness, but they live on it.  It is the essence of what keeps them going.

We have a hard time, a very hard time, accepting that people are this way.  One of the reasons why the church has gotten so weak and insipid is because of those people who want to be nice to everyone and expect the best of everyone.  The problem of original sin has been rejected by so much of the church, or what used to be the church.  I’m not sure how far you can go away from the teaching of scripture and still consider yourself part of the church.

So?  Trust God.  Assume that He will work things out to His glory.  Don’t assume that the person selling the car, serving your meal, or cleaning your house has your best interest at heart.  

Be a Calamity

(Pro 21:15 KJV)  It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

We are in a battle for the direction of our country.  If you stop to look at history you will realize that this is nothing new.  The forces of evil have always been out to destroy the things of God.  To look at it another way, yes, they are out to get us.  We believe in justice.  It is a justice based on the standards and holiness of God.  That is why they fight so hard.  The Living Bible puts the last part of this as, “...it is a calamity to evildoers.”

So?  Live a holy life.  Expect opposition.  It is the nature of the beast that seems to be in control of our culture and neighborhoods.  

Evangelistic Evil

(Pro 4:16 KJV)  For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

I read this verse every month.  I think the idea is repeated another place in Proverbs.  It would do many Christians good to pay attention to it.  It isn’t just that evil exists.  The point is that there are people who are unhappy if they are not able to drag someone else down to their level.  Evil is evangelistic.

Keep that in mind when you watch commercials.  Review it when you listen to talking heads.  You might even consider it when you spend time with people you think are your friends.  The enemies of God are all in and are out to get you.  It is not your imagination.

So?  When I was teaching, students would come up and deliberately cough in my face hoping to make me sick.  In a way it was childish nonsense.  In a way it was a manifestation of this verse.  Eventually my immune system developed so that their coughing was in vain.  Build up your immunity to evil. 

Partisans

(Pro 29:27 KJV)  An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

I’m sorry.  No, we can’t just get along.  As much as we might want “peace in our time” it is not going to happen.  

We know that as Christians there is a courtesy and concern for the unjust.  It is part of the burden we carry.  At the same time we need to recognize that our ways are not compatible with theirs.  In fact we should accept that they are an abomination to God and thus to us.

What we keep avoiding is the understanding that they hate who we are.  What makes it worse is that there is no real restraint on their hatred other than the laws and justice systems that the upright have established.  Picture the monarchs who think that their will is above the laws of the common rabble.

So?  The power that will bring victory to our lives is not the rational discussions with evil but the power of God that we trust and lean on.  

Different Word, Same Problem

(Pro 12:13 KJV)  The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

Although the word is not used, this is another reminder of the evil of lies and deceit.  Too often we accept the spin and distortion that we hear without any protest.  I will concede that you can do little in real time about the warped coverage of the news and partisan editing of comments that you see on the screen.  What you can do is turn it off and begin to contact sponsors.  Above all turn it off and urge your friends to do so.

If you hear this kind of thing in church you have more access to the people twisting truth.  If no one will listen then it may be time to leave that church your children were raised in and find a place that endorses truth.

So?  If you expect to come out of the other end of the tunnel of trouble then you need to be one of the small remnant that embraces truth.  

Inner Arrows

(Pro 6:14 KJV)  Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

Let me start with a quick aside for KJV readers.  “Frowardness” (8419) or “perversity” (NASB) represents an inner twisting of the soul.  It is archaic but I have seen it used.

This reminds me that there are people who are twisted in the soul.  Usually we don’t see it.  As our culture degenerates it will be displayed more often, but it is already there.  I think most people will agree on that.  Where I would disagree with popular opinions is that I think people make the choice to send their values in that direction.

Yes, we are all born in sin.  Original sin is real.  My difference is that I believe God has given us free will and we begin at an early age to decide which way we want to go.  Although we cannot save ourselves we can point our heart and desire toward or away from God.

So?  Obviously we need to be aware of the evil around us.  In addition to that I think this is a warning to make decisions that move us away from that and toward the holy God.  

It Makes a Difference

Proverbs 28:5 (KJV) Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.

At dinner a group from the church were struggling to understand news they had seen about parents murdering their children and children murdering their parents.  For them it was hard to wrap their heads around.  I think a lot of people are in that mind set.

I shared that I did not believe that the pagan world loves its children the same way that Christians do.  I did not have this verse at my fingertips, but when I read it this morning it reinforced my position.  When you have a foundation in the living God your attitudes toward the world around you are different because of that link.  That goes even more for your family and your fellow believers.  We used to sing that song, “We are one in the bond of love.”  We sang it with feeling because it was true.

So?  Don’t expect the world to understand you.  If they ever agree with you it will because one of you doesn’t understand the situation.  Focus on Him and the one who said He was the Way, the Truth and the Life. 

Veer Away

Proverbs 16:6 (KJV) By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Evil exists.  It is both static and active.  By that I mean it lays traps that we can stumble into and it chases after us.  There may be times when people are overwhelmed by the physical force of evil such as being caught in a riot or being the victim of a murder but most of the time evil is something that can be avoided.

The word “departed” here is unfortunate.  The idea is not that we are trapped in an evil maze and walk out.  The idea is to turn aside from evil that we see ahead of us.  Think of a pothole on the street or a board in your lane on the freeway.  If you are watching and alert you can avoid them.

The fear of the Lord keeps us alert.  It teaches us that hitting a pot hole is not a good thing to do.  It guides our actions.

So?  We have an active role to play.  God supplies us with an awareness and gives a warning.  We are to take that and run with it, but run with our eyes open.  

Gotcha

Proverbs 7:12 (KJV) Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

One of the games that we are constantly playing at my house is “gotcha”.  What this consists of is my grandchildren sneaking up on me as I am working at my desk or reading in my chair and making me jump.  That’s the normal.  At other times by coincidence I am situated where I can get them.  And as they say, “A good time was had by all.”

I noticed that after they have jumped me, I get cautious about walking through the house.  There are a number of corners, as I mentioned in this verse.  They might lay in wait around any of them.  There’s a way you can approach a corner without getting startled.  First of all, you have to be aware that you’re coming to a corner and that you need to be alert.  In life that’s where most of us err.  We don’t stop to think.  We get preoccupied.  If we think about it, we can situate ourselves so that we can at least have a glimpse of what’s around the corner before we get there.

So?  Evil is out to get you.  Accept that.  Be aware.  God is out to keep you from getting gotten.  Except that.  Be aware.  Rejoice.

Satan’s Cleats

Proverbs 5:5 (KJV) Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

Have you ever wondered why people reject the truth?  Have you ever wondered why they can’t see what seems so obvious?  Part of it is they have invested their life in evil and it really has a hold on them.  Here we see a description of what is basically a spiritualization of a prostitute.  She has decided the direction she’s going, and since she’s wearing her shoes with cleats on the bottom, her feet take hold.

Part of the idea on this is that when people decide on the direction their life is going to go, they start building in protection from getting off the path.  Hear the idea is that they’re wearing the kind of shoes that will give them good traction.  They are putting on what you might call Satan’s cleats.  It makes it very hard for them to get off the path.  Think of walking in Velcro shoes and going across a surface that has the other side in it.  It would be very hard to make a miss step.

So?  Make sure that your daily decisions keep you on the right path and keep you listening to truth.  Sometimes correcting your course is really difficult.  

A Timely Request

Psalm 147:6 (KJV) The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.

(Proverbs 25 also read)

As we look at the things happening in the world, we see a lot of evil.  We see a lot of wickedness and wicked individuals who are pushing their agenda.  At times it seems like the country is on the verge of breaking out in violence from both sides not just from one.  People feel like sometimes the only way they can defend themselves is to get a bigger club and start swinging.

We should be doing something else.  We should be seeking God to be casting the wicked down.  We have evidence in Psalms that God deals harshly with those who live in rebellion and who support evil.  We need to make this a focus of our prayers.  Of course we would pray for their redemption.  The ultimate answer is for them to get saved and get their life together.  Along with that, though, we need to ask God to step in and work as well on these people that are spitting in His face and on His people.

So?  Don’t wait until the last minute.  Prayer is not our last resort, or it shouldn’t be.  We should be starting on this now.  Pray for a victory of justice and righteousness, and the destruction of evil.   

Polite Has Limits

Psalm 15:4 (KJV) In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

(Proverbs 15 also read)

I think there’s a thought here that we find troubling.  We are commanded to hold evil people in contempt.  We are so immersed in the concepts of courtesy and politeness that we don’t like to show this kind of thing.  We confuse clear thinking and clear vision with being judgmental.  No.  Being judgmental is when you condemn someone else for doing what you do.  Being judgmental has an element of hypocrisy.

Here God is calling for discernment.  Evil is evil.  We need to be careful not to call it good or even to call it neutral.  Abortion clinics have no place in a culture that values life.  That is just an obvious example.  If you have loansharks that are taking advantage of poor people, that would fall in the same category.

So?  Read your Bible and find out what righteousness is.  Find out what integrity is.  Understand what it means to walk in an upright manner.  Apply that to your own lives and to the lives of others.  Be discerning.  

Clever Evil

Proverbs 14:22 (KJV) Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

One of the ways in which evil presents itself is by putting on a disguise . I’ve heard the devil being described as an angel of light.  I know that the name “Lucifer” has the idea of light.  It’s quite easy to broadcast that you’re doing wonderful things while behind the scenes you’re doing everything you can to create evil.

Another way might be considered by perverting definitions.  This is big in our current culture.  You may have heard the term “deconstruction”.  It’s a school of philosophy, which says that there is no absolute meaning for words; that you can make them mean whatever you want at the current time.  We are seeing the results of that as people claim that socialism and communism are really wonderful things.

Another way is by misusing something which was intended to help and becomes really damaging.  I think of this in light of what we went through recently with the government shut down.  We saw millions of people complaining because they were not getting their EBT and SNAP benefits.  It doesn’t take a lot of attention to realize that government handouts have created a permanent under class that no longer are capable of taking care of themselves.  That’s something which was designed to help people in need but instead created needy people.

So?  It is possible to avoid evil. Your starting point is important.  What are your definitions?  What are your intentions?  These need to be based on a solid foundation in God’s word and in his person. 

The Perspective of Eternity

Psalms 73:13 (KJV) Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

(Proverbs 25 also read)

One of the things I appreciate about the teachings in the Bible is the balance that makes pie in the sky a false accusation.  We have multiplied promises that God gives us.  We know them to be true.  At the same time we have clear statements about how things will look on the surface.

If you look through this chapter in Psalms, there is a long list of what are considered benefits of the selfish, powerful, and greedy.  The Bible does not deny that there are people like this, and that they are often successful.  But that success is in the terms of the world and of what we can see.  This verse even acknowledges the feeling that his righteousness and faithfulness has been in “vain”.

But keep reading.  You always need to get to the end of the story to find out how the plot works out.  The author is vindicated.  God is trustworthy.

So?  Hang in there.  God will balance the scale.  In fact, He won’t just balance it, He will put His finger on the side of righteousness.  Make sure you are on that side.  

Two-Way Roads

Proverbs 16:17 (KJV) The highway of the upright [is] to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

The question that comes to my mind is the location of the evil.  Is the concern behind me on the road or has it suddenly appeared beside the road?  I would assume from the way the statement is made it’s not ahead of me and blocking the road.  The highway of holiness is providing me with a way of escape, not confrontation.

Sometimes the danger is pursuing us.  I would assume that on this highway, whatever means we are using for transportation, if we put our foot to the metal, we can out-distance the evil that is overtaking us.  That’s one possibility.

The other is that as we move forward on the road there suddenly appears on the side a bandit or a zombie or something else that’s coming to get us.  In case it’s like that all we need to do is keep going straight ahead, stay on the road, and let the natural barriers protect us.

So?  The clear teaching is that when we are confronted with evil, we have a choice to depart or to stay and get involved.  Which do you think is indicated here?  

Stay Alert

Proverbs 12:21 (KJV) There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.

As I read through this chapter, I kept seeing this word “wicked” appear again and again. Solomon seems to be really concerned about this and is convinced that there are some people who are just plain evil.  We as Christians have a hard time believing this.  We see it.  We’re told about it .  We experience it.  We still resist.

Evil exists.  Most people would admit that.  Evil is all around us.  Many would accept that.  People that you know and deal with daily are consumed with this evil.  That we don’t like.  It is still true

So?  Take warnings like this in Proverbs seriously.  

You Don’t Need to Look under the Rocks

Proverbs 4:16 (KJV) For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

Every month as I come to Proverbs 4 this verse stands out to me.  I am reminded not only that evil as a force is very real and there are evil people in the world, but that these individuals are focused on spreading the evil and causing problems for others.

You don’t have to go looking for the bugs, they come to you.  Just like in Texas we don’t have to go looking for scorpions. They somehow have a way of wiggling their way through cracks and showing up in our bathrooms.  I have found them tucked in the shower curtain.  I’ve seen centipedes 5 inches long crawling across the floor of my bedroom.  In the same way, your neighbors, your coworkers, and possibly even members of your family are out to get you.  It’s not just you being paranoid.

So?  All the more reason to live in faith and faithfulness.  All the more reason to follow the righteous path and keep our eyes on the things that God is teaching us and His wisdom literature. He will be your shield. 

Yes, Virginia, There Is Evil

Proverbs 6:12 (NKJV) A worthless person, a wicked man, Walks with a perverse mouth;

Somewhere this week, I read that letter that was written, assuring Virginia that there was a Santa Claus.  That came to mind today as I was reading this verse.  We tend to be surrounded by doubters.  These doubters look at what is obvious, they look at the teachings of the Bible, they listen to the wisdom of their elders, and then decide all people are basically good.  They decide that it is society that is the problem and that we have to do away with all of the established norms in order to set the goodness in us free.

Not so fast.

The Bible is very clear that there are “worthless” people.  There is evil, and there are evil people.  At the same time, we are told to turn the other cheek, to witness with gentleness and reverence, and to be courteous.  None of those do away with the fact that most of the people we work with are on the side of evil, and although they don’t radiate the fact, they themselves are lost in sin.

So?  No one ever said it would be easy.  We are seeking to live the righteous life.  In doing so we become a target of those who hate righteousness and who reject the holiness of God.  Make sure you’re on the right side.  

Turn About

Psalms 141:10 (KJV) Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.

(Proverbs 1 also read)

In the previous chapter, I noticed that David was concerned about the traps that people had set for him and was asking God to make sure that he did not fall into them.  Here we have the other side of that request.  We don’t know the timing of these two chapters.  We don’t know if David was thinking of the other when he wrote this.  We do know that he was praying for deliverance by God.

And how appropriate it is to pray that people would fall into the traps that they have planned for us?  I often wonder if that isn’t the way God works.  People plan evil.  The evil ends up consuming them.  How fitting.

So?  I don’t know that we should spend our time wishing evil on others, but it certainly is a reminder that we need to feather our nest with righteousness, and not with clever schemes.