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PROVERBS 6:16-19: These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethern.
While I was reading these verses of Scripture, a picture of our churches came to my mind. I am not describing our churches as an abomination, so you can relax and take your finger off the delete key. What I am saying is that I recognize elements of some of these that can apply to all of our corporate bodies.
A proud look ... Great, beautiful edifices costing millions to construct and tens of thousands a month to maintain ... sitting right in the middle of abject poverty.
A lying tongue ... Teachings of moral liberality feeding the sheep. Food that is tainted with the poison of partial truth.
Hands that shed innocent blood ... How about that young woman, or man who through a moment of weakness, experienced calamity. Have loving hands reached out to redeem? Or were words of "Serves them right" spoken?
Heart that deviseth wicked imaginations ... How about those broken relationships between people because of an imagined personal slight?
Feet that be swift in running to mischief ... How about this. "Hello ... Larry? ... I’m just calling to ask you to pray for Betty ... I just heard ... blah blah."
A false witness that speaks lies .... Here is the "get even" syndrome. Go ahead ... stretch the facts a little, just to make it a little more juicy. Or how about making it a little more credible by tagging the statement with "God Showed Me."
He that soweth discord ... Is your fellowship faced with the threat of a "church split"? Guess what ... Someone is sowing discord among the brethren!
We all still have some distance to go to the goal of walking in the fullness of our salvation ... Don’t we? |