The Disguise of Hate

For Friday, November 2, 2007
Proverbs 26:24-26

Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips
and harbors deceit in his heart;
when he speaks graciously, believe him not,
for there are seven abominations in his heart;
though his hatred be covered with deception,
his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

Let's follow the train of thought. There is the type of person who, though he in truth is hateful, he covers it up by speaking graciously. He is the illustration of verse 23's "the glaze covering an earthen vessel." This phenomenon is seen on all levels: the entertainer who tells his audience he loves them, while he actually despises them; the politician who speaks admiringly of his constituents whom he regards as fools; the hired worker or salesperson who behaves respectfully to the one controlling his paycheck and yet is filled with envy; the "friend" who wants to be considered "one of the guys" but can barely tolerate the same.

We are not to believe him because of the condition of his heart. It is the heart that must be dealt with. Knowing how to speak graciously does not signify a good heart. It signifies merely cleverness. Indeed, to speak graciously to those whom one hates signifies a wickedness that goes deeper than that of the man who does not hide his hate.

The third point is that a person's hatred will be revealed. Hatred will come out. Indeed, if one gives time to observation, a hateful heart is detectable. Like a movie set of a town made up of facades that shake or fall when buffeted by wind, so the "gracious" facade of the hateful heart is shaken and revealed. It takes effort to keep up appearances, and even then it is difficult to coordinate the artificial words with the artificial mannerisms. The hateful person is merely reading lines.

What then are we to do? Be on our guard. Don't be taken in. But all the more befriend such a person. Most persons like that believe they are doing what everyone else is doing. They do not believe in a true loving heart. Perhaps you will be the one to prove that not all is a disguise.

Fervency

For Thursday, November 1, 2007
Proverbs 26:23

Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel
are fervent lips with an evil heart.

In a way, the glaze hides what is underneath while giving the appearance of revealing its inner makeup. We can see the clay, but the glaze covers over the imperfections and causes the clay to have a shine that it really does not possess of itself. In the same way, we may use our lips to deceive what is underneath. I think now of a friend in seminary who spoke ardently of his faith, but who in truth turned out to be living a double life that was exposed when he married. I have also learned that the ardency by which one speaks has no bearing on that person's spiritual maturity or commitment.

Some speak fervently with the intention of covering up their evil. Others speak fervently merely out of their nature. In both cases, the fervency does not measure the sincerity of their hearts. It is not speech that ultimately reveals the heart. It is the long-term obedience in both speech and action that provide the best test. And that obedience is not a mere performance of duty, but one that bears the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfuless, gentleness, and self-control.

Look at their fruit - the fruit born in them and the fruit of their lives, i.e. the impact on others around them. Fervency is not bad; just don't use it to measure the heart. That is not its purpose.

Delicious Gossip

For Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Proverbs 26:22

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.

Simply put, we enjoy gossip. That is the reason it spreads easily and quickly. We enjoy receiving it, and we enjoy passing it on. When we receive news that excites us, our natural inclination is to share the excitement. News about someone else's discomfort somehow arouses our interest to hear and "share." As Christians, we mask our sinful interest by telling ourselves we are interested out of Christian concern.

The whispering of gossip, notwithstanding "Christian concern," typically adds to the pain of the person or trouble to situation that is being whispered about. Word gets back to the person filling them with same and stirring up anger. More "solutions" are offered to the problem situation, creating more complexity to deal with.

What is the solution to whispering gossip? Proverb 26:20 has already given it. Stop whispering. Don't go on a diet of whispering. Go on a fast. It may be difficult at first. But as the person discovers, who seriously cuts out foods that seem sweet but are harmful, the very denial opens up the taste buds to more natural, enjoyable tastes.

The Quarrelsome Man

For Monday, October 29, 2007
Proverbs 26:21

As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

It is the quarreling spirit that kindles the fire. Tempers flare guaranteeing that trouble, not peace or understanding will be the result.

"All I said was..."
"I don't know why he should be so bothered..."
"All I wanted to know was..."

These are the words of the person supposedly baffled as to why others are taking offense. He considers superficially his words, but not his tone of voice, his facial expressions, and whatever other signals that he is giving about his anger.

"I was caught off guard."
"I was upset at the time."
"I didn't know he would take it that way."
"If you knew what he had said to me."

These are the superficial excuses of the offender. And they are the excuses that reveal his heart. For he does not grieve over the mischief and harm he has caused, but rather over the grief he is receiving.

And so the years go on without him ever learning, continually stirring the pot, and wondering why everybody else overreacts to him. Meanwhile, others leave the ministry he is engaged in or the small group he attends; meanwhile, peace in the church is troubled because of the things he has said and the division over what to do about him. So is the sad and mischievous life of the quarrelsome person. Watch your own heart. It is easier than one thinks to fall into such a pattern through disappointments and bitterness. Being quarrelsome is easy to do; it is the simple matter of letting one's guard down. It is being a person of peace that requires diligence, that requires attention to the peace of God given in Christ. The error of the quarrelsome person is that he is attentive to his perceived offenses rather than to the grace of God.