WE END UP WHERE WE LEAD OTHERS

Proverbs 14:22
Do they not err that devise evil? But mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.

We live in a world where good and evil would want to blur together in a single deceitful falsity. Constantly devising evil, the spirit of antichrist has finally succeeded to deceive nation after nation, individual after individual to endorse the confusion (Confusion in Hebrew: Babel, or Babylon) of his evil ways thereby causing many to go astray as himself is astray.

Many desire to tell us what to do and what to believe. Many call us to their cause. Having no valuable truth to help them shed light, they have to try to outshine others by attempting to blow out their candle. Nothing seems to be ‘off the table’ when it comes to convincing others of the evil ways of their opponent. Oh yes by the way, they all proclaim to believe. Believe in what?

We can be thankful that we have the inspired Words of the Almighty to help us make the difference between their words and their actions. We are told in our passage today that those who devise evil err. This kingly advice does not include a motivation. It doesn’t tell us that the end justifies the means. It does not tell us that erring is a result of devising evil. It merely tells us that we err when we devise evil.

Paul, our Jewish messianic Rabbi concurs the point. Himself the victim of evil plots fomented by those who would wish to silence him he said, Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21.) This Pauline statement was not conceived from a so-called new found Christian doctrine of love as many would believe, but is simply a reflection of his training in applying the principles outlined in the following sort of Scripture: If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again (Exodus 23:4.)

It is so tempting to want to repay evil; to devise plots to the demise of those we have issues and problems with. But when we do so, we lower ourselves to their ethics; we become like them; we end up where we desire to lead them. Let us who believe therefore represent well the One in whom we believe and not stoop down to such low-blows as devising evil against our ‘should-not-be’ enemies. If we do, we will find ourselves in the same pit where we wish our enemies to fall.