Majoring in Minors--VII

All human beings have the capacity of deceiving others. When Samuel assumed the next king of Israel is the oldest son of Jesse, Eliab, God essentially told Samuel that he was deceived. He said: "Do not look on his [Eliab's] appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; THEY LOOK ON THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, BUT THE LORD LOOK ON THE HEART." 1 Samuel 16:7.

The composer of Psalm 55 struggled with close friends who attempted to deceive him. For example, in verses 20-21 he explains:
    My companion laid hands on a friend
         and violated a covenant with me;
    with speech smoother than butter,
         but with a heart set on war;
    with words that were softer than oil,
         but in fact were drawn swords.

Like most people, I have had close friends who took the opportunity of stabbing me in the back to get what they desired to gain and to attempt to hurt or demean me. Other people may TRUST such people, but SORRY, I cannot. When people lie through their teeth, they are obviously untrustworthy. One striking example of this is when Joab "took Abner aside in the gateway to speak with him privately, and there he stabbed him in stomach. So he died for shedding the blood of Asahel."
2 Samuel 3:27. Another striking example is when Judas Iscariot came to Jesus and kissed him to indicate to the Roman soldiers who Jesus was so he would be crucified. Matthew 26:48-50; Mark 14:44-46; Luke 22:47-48. No true Christian should be surprised that a "trusted friend" might betray him or her for his own gain and to demean or hurt that person.

Most of the Judean people around Jeremiah CLAIMED that they were faithful followers of God, but their hearts and daily lives contradicted their claim. Jeremiah 12:1b-2 contains one of Jeremiah's complaints about this situation:
    Why does the way of the guilty prosper?
       Why do all who are treacherous thrive?
    You plant the, and they take root;
        they grow and bring forth fruit;
    YOU ARE NEAR IN THEIR MOUTHS
        YET FAR FROM THEIR HEARTS.

Paul says to Titus in Titus 1:15-16:
    To the pure all things are pure,
    but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure.
    Their very minds and consciences are corrupted.
    THEY PROFESS TO KNOW GOD,
    BUT THEY DENY THEM BY THEIR ACTIONS.
    They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

In the present culture in the United States, the emphasis is on digital works and expressions of all kinds, impressive buildings, great highways, unrealistic movies, and all types of politics. What God desires is true hearts and pure lives. When this does not happen, history has shown that such a nation, a community, a church, a family, is doomed.

Share YOUR concerns and shortcomings and concepts and fears and hopes with others. Let me hear from YOU.

John Willis