Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six or seven kinds of people the LORD doesn't like: Those who are too proud or tell lies or murder, those who make evil plans or are quick to do wrong, those who tell lies in court or stir up trouble in a family.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Several months ago, the child of a friend of mine cut her brother’s hair. When my friend asked who had done the hair cutting, the child replied, “Not me!” My friend remarked, sarcastically that “Not Me” surely seemed to show up at their house often to stir up trouble!
I think a lot of us read scripture passages like this one and react like my friend’s child… that’s Not Me! We take this passage quite literally and don’t see that a lot of the things we do are hurtful, murderous, prideful, dishonest, and yes – evil.
I sometimes wonder about some of the “Letters to the Editor” I read in newspapers… comments I see on Facebook… and things I hear coming from the mouths of people who make no secret of their supposed faith in God… or even invoke His name to justify their ugly words. When I hear late-night talk show hosts on television joke about celebrities who are in rehab or make fun of someone who has been arrested, I wonder… “Does this square well with God?”
If you try to weasel your way out of a traffic ticket or juggle the numbers on your income taxes… if you bad-mouth your instructor online or grumble about your kid’s coaches to others… does this please God? Are you one who is always griping and complaining about something or someone? Do you think God wants a kingdom of “miserable and disgruntled Christians?”
I am not passing judgment. I am guilty of plenty of offenses myself. I am saying that we need to all check our behavior and our motives… to make sure we line up with God’s will and err on the side of caution in what we say and do. If we truly want to please God and honor His gift of salvation, we will pay close attention to how we conduct every faction of our lives. Even when we think what we say and do is innocent… we may actually be hurting someone else or displeasing our Heavenly Father. Stop… look… listen… think… PRAY… examine your thoughts, words and deeds, and be a Disciple whose behaviors are those which God likes.
©2011 Debbie Robus
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