Proverbs 2:14 “who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil”
After a long trip overseas for missionary work, I was excited to be on my way home. I had been working to record some of the journeys on midi disc (do you remember their brief appearance?) as I wanted to edit the journey to play parts of it on a Christian radio show that I hosted each week. We had some fun sessions recorded from the various journeys – by car, bus, foot and canoes, as well as some fun moments – such as me learning to make tortillas with some amazing ladies in a small village. I had been listening to them and thinking through how to edit and how to enhance with music or commentary.
I was genuinely excited by the potential that I could see. I kept the discs in a small camera bag with my wallet and a few other things close by me on all the flights home. At Glasgow airport back home, I was waiting for my bags on the conveyor, and when they came I reached over to get them, and as I did someone stole the small bag from the trolley. I really did not mind losing the money, the midi disc player or even the inconvenience of cancelling all my cards. I would have happily handed these items over to get the weeks of recordings back.
I told the police and I ran around the airport looking in all the bins and toilets in case someone had dumped the bag and just taken the wallet. I was really distressed over the loss of weeks of work and with no possibility of recovering from this. It took me the rest of the day I think to gradually let it go and pray a blessing and release the person or people whole stole my bag. I think I was a little shocked that someone would behave like this.
KNOWLEDGE
Wow, so much of the text in Proverbs 1&2 is given over to examine and expose the motives, actions and outcomes for those who will not hear the initial cry of Solomon to know wisdom and instruction and to understand words of insight. God’s wisdom will deliver you from men or women who act like this – they fully enjoy causing others distress, they spin round with glee as they defraud others or corrupt the youth, or cause bad, hurtful and corrupt things to happen. There is a carelessness here. They are given over to what they are pursuing. In Romans 1:24 it says ” Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves”. These people made a public claim to be wise.
I sometimes think that there is a perception that if we do good we will be blessed and prosperous and if we do bad we will be punished [by God]. And there is a bit of a maxim there, but this is not actually what Christianity teaches. The punishment of God is not handed out for our wrong deeds here and now, rather, the way of God is handing us over to allow us to continue down the path that these actions are taking us. So if we deliberately gossip, covet, lie, cheat, complain, grumble, sow discord, or, are lazy, God will allow us to be consumed by these attributes – until hopefully we come to our senses.
UNDERSTANDING
Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?
“Perverseness” is an unusual word in the ESV, mentioned only 10 times, the original word is pronounced as “tahpukot”. It is translated as perverse, perverted, and dishonest [Prov 16:28]. There is an aspect of this word that means “confusion”. Who or what brings this type of confusion into your life?
WISDOM: what areas of your life would you like to change right now? Have you ever tried going on a “complaint fast” for 7 days?
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Achiever – is all about getting stuff done, be careful that your agenda does not supersede your care and concern for others.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version [they brighten up as they bring calamity, and spin around in gladness as they sow confusion and hurt into others].
PRAYER: Father thank you for today. Please help me to guard my ways and choose my companions for life with my best future in mind. Thank you, Father.
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Very often we see the ravages of destruction caused by evildoers. We see how easy it is , especially for young ones, to be enticed into this path.
I pray for continued strength and wisdom to stay in His truth. He will guide and protect us.
Wow there is so much for me to think about today Allan, my workplace is my downfall. So overwhelmed with the amount of relentless pressure in these days of covid. Time to take stock and fine the balance in my attitude and words… I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
Wow Allan. I can relate to so many of the things you raise in examinig the scripture. The part I still work on daily is letting thing go and forgiveness.
I dont only pray this for myself, but most esp for my children and their children. That God will help them guard their ways and choose their companions in life.
Thanks for sharing your God-given knowledge and insight,Ps Allan. God bless you more.
A complaint fast. What a brilliant idea! Going to start today.
Who or what brings confusion into your life? What a powerful question to ask ones self and I’m going to. And ask Holy Spirit for wisdom to discern.
Gossip used to be such a strong temptation and also joining in a complaining session. But once God made me aware of these weaknesses, the struggle isn’t as hard. It does help who we hang out with too. Thanks for this and reminding us to keep moving forward in Truth and grace.
Wow!
Thank you for the sharing of how you handled that theft. We see exactly opposite nature of perversity. You acted and not reacted!!
You have overcome the evil by good!
I had an amazing breakthrough In my attitude after praying and surrendering the evil and lies been fabricated towards me.
My approach was to keep the distance and not to communicate anymore. I have been praying for this person for many years for Salvation!
As I read 2Cor13:14
In the Study Life Application Bible, Holy Spirit showed me what is the right approach:
“……The better approach- SHARING,COMMUNICATING,and CARING. This is a difficult approach that can drain us emotionally, but it is the best way for other people, and it is the only CHRISTLIKE WAY to deal with other’s sin”.
I prayed for more grace, opportunity, Wisdom and and capacity to continue to be Christlike…
My thinking has shifted after seeing how Apostle Paul handled the sinful nature of Corinthian church.
Praise God for the proverbs.
May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,…..
The love of God,
And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, I pray!
Glory to God!
Thank you so much Allan!
There are certainly people that have chosen a specific path in life where they rejoice in doing evil. Often it seems like an easier way to do things, a temporal way to achieve often selfish desires and centred on earthly needs.
I’m thankful that as a Christian that I can continually renew my thoughts everyday and realign and adjustments my thoughts and behaviours to become more Christlike each day. It is never perfect and never will be but God continues to give us His Spirit to help guide, counsel and help us each day.
As we apply Godly wisdom by guarding our hearts and choosing good companions in life, we help ourselves to keep away from those who rejoice and delight in doing evil. When we fall, His Grace and Mercy abound and He never leaves or forsakes us during difficult times.
It’s hard to believe the evil intent of some people & it makes you wonder how they came to be like this & take pleasure in it!! I realise we are all born with a sin nature & many people are born into wickedness & environments which promote all types of criminal activities & dishonest dealings as a matter of survival & deception some more prevalent in certain cultures than others. However because I have had the privilege of being presented the good news of Jesus & accepted the free gift of salvation I can be tuned into the promptings of the Holy Spirit to convict me of my sinful ways & hopefully prevent me from situation s which can easily lead me down a path of deception & destruction. In turn I need to beware of those who blatantly refuse to hear & accept the good news of Christ. Another reminder of guarding my ways & choosing the right companions to my future.
“The punishment of God is not handed out for our wrong deeds here and now, rather, the way of God is handing us over to allow us to continue down the path that these actions are taking us. So if we deliberately gossip, covet, lie, cheat, complain, grumble, sow discord, or, are lazy, God will allow us to be consumed by these attributes – until we come to our senses.”
This statement you made Allan is so true! Punishment isn’t from God, although we do reap what we sow and if that is evil to others or our own wrongdoing then unfortunately at some point in this life we will bear the consequences.
The last paragraph of the Knowledge section really stands out to me. It’s a sobering thought that God hands us over to the way we’re already going, until we realise the negative consequences of our actions.. But amen to that prayer, thank God for the Holy Spirit who helps our choices and guards our way..
Thanks Ps Allan!
I pray that God’s wisdom will help me and guide me in all my ways .
Forgiving people after loosing what belongs to you is not that easy, but once done it releases you and trusting God for what’s ahead.
Liked the going on a complaint fast.
I pray that God’s wisdom will help me and guide me in all my ways .
God has always been present
When I look back a t my life,one thing I can be so sure ,is that God has always guided me,
The times I have not been wise and acted on my own will,soon I would face disaster
Today many years after I have given my life to Jesus
I realize that he’s the only one who never let go ,
Who always protected and saved me from disaster.
And the disasters I faced was not God punishing me ,but I had opened up the door to destruction by not listening to Godly instruction.
I’m so grateful that his grace and love changed me .
I certainly relate to the following “I sometimes think that there is a perception that if we do good we will be blessed and prosperous and if we do bad we will be punished [by God]. “ coming from different faith!
I also experience “God will allow us to be consumed by these attributes – until we come to our senses.”
God never abandon you ever, we tend to get consumed by World around us as people rejoice and come as wise in there wicked ways. God giving you many chances to turn around! It’s matter of how soon!!
Blessings
I think this is a area everyone or most people get wrong, Its when we do wrong its a place God can’t enter and it opens up the gate for the enemy. Sometimes its our flesh that rises against our spirit which allows the evil to come in.
I pray that the Holy Spirit keeps working in me to see the truth and surface the things I struggle in Amen