Read
16There are six or seven
kinds of people
the Lord doesn't like:
17Those who are too proud
or tell lies or murder,
18those who make evil plans
or are quick to do wrong,
19those who tell lies in court
or stir up trouble
in a family.
Reflect
It is not every day that we stop and wonder just what grosses God out. The writer of Proverbs spells it out very clearly in these verses.
While the writer gives to us a whole list of seven things to consider, I was challenged by the first thing God hates – “haughty eyes”.
Think about the time you sat in a restaurant, and remember the obnoxious people in the booth right behind you. You could hear every word. Just listening to them was exasperating. Maybe without knowing it, you somehow got the idea that you were so much better than they are. In fact, when they got up to leave, you cast a glance their way; it was confirmed . . . That look, the attitude behind that look – God hates it. Now that is sobering. We don’t need to be taught that look. In fact it comes to us quite naturally. The challenge that we are called to is to live with grace and love in the face of those eye rolling times that come to us all.
1 Corinthians 13:2 reminds us that with the absence of love we are simply empty noisemakers. Love is lived out in the difficult times. We are never given permission to not love. Seriously, it would have been so much easier if God would give us a way out sometimes, but he doesn’t. He does give us his Spirit who will fill us with all his love that is needed for our day, if we will ask.
Respond
Father God, you are the Author of love. You have called me to love all people. Yet Father, sometimes I know I think of myself as better than others. Father, it sneaks up on me so easily. Forgive me. Fill my heart with your love. Amen.
[/box]
Donna Dyck
Donna and her husband Bill are parents of 4 adult children and have 9 grandchildren. They have been pastoring at Toronto Alliance church for 28 years. Donna has written 2 books, Confessions of a Not So Average Girl and Confessions of an Unlikely Pastors wife. She has spoken at many conferences, seminars, and events over the years. She and her husband have just written a Devotional called Hope for an Unwanted Journey which will be published soon and is for parents, especially those who are walking through the valley of addiction or mental illness with their loved ones.