I found myself saying “Me, too!” this morning when I read Proverbs 8:13.
Solomon wrote in that verse, “I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”
These soul-staining traits are very bad and should be hated by all, regardless of one’s view toward Christ.
It only took a moment, however, for me to realize that I needed to be careful before jumping on the “Aren’t we good Christians?” bandwagon.
And here’s why.
Solomon ended up playing the hypocrite.
And he was the wisest person who ever lived other than Jesus.
Solomon demonstrated each of these traits during the middle years of his kingdom once he rejected God’s command against marrying foreign wives.
For he said “I do” to more than just the pagan women. He also embraced their religions that emphasized pride and arrogance and evil behavior and speech that perverted the revelation of Jehovah.
Israel suffered terribly after Solomon’s death because of the death of integrity that preceded his physical demise.
If only his words in Proverbs 8:13 had characterized his whole life.
There is a sober warning implied to us all by the relationship between this verse and the history of Solomon’s life.
Our revulsion with sin is to be at the core of who we are, not simply the veneer of our opinions.
The sins that make our skin crawl now can easily become part of our behavior pattern if we become desensitized through improper relationships.
I Corinthians 15:33 tells us that bad company corrupts good character.
Solomon’s life proves the verse is true.
This corruption can happen with language, as in certain slang terms or figures of speech or profanities that used to shock certain believers but which now are part of their verbal toolbox because it is part of the crowd’s verbal toolbox.
It can happen with what is placed before the eyes. What used to immediately prompt a changed channel on the TV is now prompting savored gazes at forbidden fruit.
It can happen with how one responds to the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit. What used to prompt quick repentance for the sinful choice is now prompting rationalization. “I’m not as sinful as those people over there,” is the line spoken by too many believers when they should have fallen on their faces and said, “I’m wrong. Please forgive me.”
I don’t want to become desensitized to pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
I want to hate them until the day I enter a perfect place where such never happens.
The only way that I can continue to hate them is to have the mind of God and to live according to the pattern of Christ.
I need to see things the way that God sees things.
God sees me as far from perfect and as one desperately in need of grace in order to have a place in His family. This is a humbling fact that should counteract any feelings of pride. I pray that it continues to do so.
God has shown me the repulsive nature of arrogance as I have seen vain displays of superiority thinking by others. I pray that I never fall into the ego-massaging trap of thinking I’m superior to others and I quietly thank Him for the very difficult times I am experiencing now that remind me of my relative position before Him and man.
As for evil behavior and perverse speech, these aren’t stumbling blocks for me, but I know they could be if I neglected my relationship with God.
In the domain of faith, the old axiom applies, “Use it or lose it.”
Never forget that Proverbs 8:13 was a snapshot of Solomon’s faith, not a biographical summary.
And so it is with us.
Only through an ever-growing growing relationship with God, Christ, the Holy Spirit and godly people can our snapshots of faith become legacies of faith.
Because Satan will tempt us in increasing measure until we die, we are to trust God’s Word and grow in faith until we die.
Please, dear friend, remember that your values are the overflow of who you are at the core. Fill your heart with God’s Word and your life with God’s people. Your conscience will then provide the warnings you need that Satan is attempting to steer your away from God’s world into his own.
As always, I love you
Martin
