Proverbs 29:27 Through Whose Eyes
Right and wrong can look very different depending on through whose eyes one is looking. That’s where we get men calling evil good and good evil. God’s view never changes.
Today’s verse reminded me of something I’ve seen posted on Facebook multiple times. I don’t have the exact words of the post but the meaning is this: “What does it hurt you that I believe in Jesus? Why can’t you let me be? You don’t have to believe in Him if you don’t want to but don’t come at me when I say I do.
I believe this is an example of what Solomon is speaking of. This post exists because our society has gone so far as to make speaking out for Christ a point of contention. Actually, our society wasn’t the first to do this. The Pharisees made this a HUGE bone of contention from the moment Jesus started His ministry here on earth. The apostle Paul, in his former life, was directly responsible for the death of many who spoke out for Jesus. MANY nations made Christianity illegal and persecuted those they found worshiping God. That is the reason “underground churches” started in the first place.
While looking up the verse speaking of calling evil good and good evil, I realize that this has gone on from the beginning. God called ALL He had made good after He was finished with each portion. He termed it ALL good when He handed dominion of it over to man. But He also gave instructions to Adam and Eve on how to keep it ‘good’. “Don’t touch the fruit of the tree in the center of the garden.” I have no doubt He also meant don’t stand there and admire it either. While Eve was admiring it, Satan called evil good and Eve swallowed it, hook, line and sinker!
Israel did this as a nation MANY times. The first golden calf jumps to mind during the exodus. Then there are the very words I was searching for spoken by the prophet Isaiah concerning why Israel was being taken into captivity. Because they refused to listen to God’s Laws and traded it for what they wanted; calling God’s commandments evil and their desires good.
Here is a side note that just got my attention. Man is forever looking for something that is greater than him. He wants a god. He just doesn’t want one that won’t conform to his ideals. When Moses was up on the mountain with God and the people got tired of waiting, they didn’t elect new leaders or scatter from their groups. The asked Aaron to make them a new god. When Israel broke into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom didn’t choose a new form of government or even to disband the religious structure. What they did do was replace God with one of their own makings. We have a hole inside each of us. It is the place that was emptied when Adam and Eve sinned. The place God fashioned for His presence to be carried. Man tries to fill it on his own and is NEVER satisfied. The ONLY way to fill it is to offer it to the One who created us to begin with. His presence in our lives fills that void perfectly!
ONLY when we are looking at our world and lives through God’s eyes do we TRULY see what is good and what is not. His eyes show us the truth. Yes, man has learned to incorporate some of God’s basic principles into our laws but we are still selective in that process. Murder is evil, yet abortion isn’t. Lying is evil, yet cheating on your taxes isn’t. Stealing is evil, yet taking home a few things from the office isn’t. God doesn’t draw gray lines. He draws hard lines between good and evil. And they are done in permanent marker!!! He doesn’t move them to change with the times. He also puts in clauses to deal with the, “but what about…” issues. The one regarding manslaughter and leaving something in the vineyards for the poor are examples of this. He knew our needs even before we did.
Look through HIS eyes, NOT your own when determining good from evil. And don’t be surprised to find that not everyone agrees with you, for they don’t agree with Him either.
Father God, thank You for giving me YOUR boundaries. Thank You for speaking to my heart about the length of this ‘problem’. I can’t blame it on the times. It lays squarely at the feet of every person, including ME. I want to stand for YOUR standards Father, no matter the cost. I KNOW I can’t expect those who have denied You to honor my words for You. Don’t let me call evil good or good evil.
Thank You Holy Spirit for putting the knowledge of the difference in my heart. THANK YOU that You sharpen my understanding and quicken my heart when I begin to stray into the evil territory. Thank You for ALWAYS bringing me back, no matter how long it takes or what I have to go through to finally get the message. You DON’T give up!!!
