Planning wisely

God hates... a heart that devises wicked schemes... Proverbs 6:18

 

The human mind is capable of wonderful creations. We’ve explored both the ocean depths and outer space and are beginning to understand the building blocks of life. The advances in science over the last 150 years are staggering. Most have occurred in my lifetime. What will we see in the 20 years?

 

Sometimes, however, we use our minds for evil. Before the flood, God lamented that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5.)

 

Too often turn our imaginations to weapons of destruction. Chemists working with dyes discovered medical possibilities, but the cancer-fighting experiments were interrupted by WWI. Instead, the lab began to produce the chlorine and mustard gas.

 

Time and energy spent on weapons and warfare could help find cures for diseases, environmental degradation, and the devastation of poverty. When it is used for wicked imaginations, the mind, a bottomless well of ideas, turns deadly.

 

God wants us to stop planning pain! He hates a heart that devises wicked plans (Proverbs 6:18.) We can be very clever in planning to hurt someone who gets in the way. Whether it is for getting even or for advancing ourselves, God hates our scheming.

 

A mind surrendered to God refuses to delight in evil or scheme to hurt others. The Bible urges us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will” (Romans 12:2.)

 

Deliberately set your mind on honorable things. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Philippians 4:8.)

Wisdom for your tongue

God hates lying: the bold-face lie, the little white lie, flattery, and slander. He hates gossip, excuses, propaganda, and spin. He hates exaggeration, half-truth, and hypocrisy. He hates falsehoods, shading the truth, misrepresentation, perjury, false advertising, and embellishment.

Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us, “These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.”

And yet, many people believe that lying is OK in some situations.

Lying is the devil's language. We affiliate ourselves with him when we lie. Jesus says, “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”  John 8:44

Lying can be cruel. The worst kind of lie is a deliberate attempt to hurt someone. It can destroy reputations and ruin lives. Potipher’s wife lied, and Joseph was sent to prison for years.

Some will lie to escape consequences (The dog ate my homework.) The motivation for this kind of lying is fear. Abraham lied about Sarah, saying she was his sister and not his wife, so he would not be killed to make her available for marriage.

Others will lie to impress. They puff up resumes or exaggerate accomplishments. Ananias and Sapphira suffered fatal consequences for trying to impress their church with inflated generosity.

Manipulation is another reason for lying. Jacob lied to his blind father so he could steal his brother’s blessing and inheritance.

Jesus said that “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of” (Luke 6:45.) If lying comes easy for you, you need a heart cleanse. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10-19

Afterwards, we can follow this teaching, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices” Colossians 3:9-10

Wisdom for your wallet

The financially wise avoid debt. Proverbs warns, “The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is the lender’s slave” (22:7).

 

Or, as the Seven Dwarfs might sing, “I owe, I owe it'd off to work I go…”

 

The Bible doesn’t teach that all debt is wrong, but debt is a trap. Sometimes debt is unavoidable in an emergency, or you might secure a loan to make your life a little easier, but it is best to avoid borrowing unless absolutely necessary. Especially for something that will go down in value, like a new car. Rent-to-own plans are not a good idea, either, and payday loans can tangle you up in a deepening spiral of liability.

 

The first five verses of Proverbs 6 advise against co-signing a loan for a friend. It is dangerous for both financial and relationship reasons. You oblige yourself to pay a loan for a person that the bank does not trust.

 

If you find yourself in debt, get out of fast. “Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.” (Proverbs 6:5)

 

First, don’t borrow any more money. Don’t take out a debt consolidation loan. There will be fees, more interest and you’ll end up owing more money. Instead make the minimum payments on all your obligations and make extra payments on the smallest debt. When that one is paid off, work on the next smallest and so on. In this way, you are reversing the debt spiral in which you found yourself.

 

Commit any unexpected cash to reducing the debt and try to make some extra money. You can have a yard sale and get rid of your clutter or get a part time job. Even at minimum wage, a part time job will make enough to make a significant dent in your debt.

 

Keep going after you’ve paid off the credit cards and the car loans. Start saving to build up an emergency fund. Keep going. Start saving for your next car. If you can make a car payment, you can set that much aside. Make interest instead of paying it.

 

Be like the ant. “…it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” (Proverbs 6:8)

Wisdom for your heart

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.

Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.

Proverbs 4:23-26

 

The Bible tells us, “Above everything else guard your heart.”

 

This admonition goes beyond a heart-healthy diet. Our heart requires spiritual care. We must guard our hearts because Jesus said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (Matthew 15:19)”

 

We must avoid the sinful contaminants that wear our heart down. Proverbs 6:24 warns, “Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.”

 

Jesus said, “The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Matthew 12:34)”

 

Check your heart health by listening to what comes out of your mouth. “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and saltwater flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
(James 3:10-12)”

 

We are also warned about our eyes. “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. (Proverbs 6:25)”

 

What your eyes focus on will enter your heart. Jesus was serious about this. He said, “If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. (Matthew 5:29)”

 

Jesus said, additionally, “Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. (Luke 11:34)”

 

Therefore, we must keep our eyes on Jesus the beginning and the end of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

 

Keep out of situations that can compromise your heart. “Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. (Proverbs 6:26)”