Hands That Shed Innocent Blood

Proverbs 6:16-19

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

1.  Haughty eyes

2.  A lying tongue

3.  Hands that shed innocent blood

4.  A heart that devises wicked schemes

5.  Feet that are quick to rush into evil

6.  A false witness who pours out lies

7.  A person who stirs up conflict in the community

The third thing the Lord hates is hands that shed innocent blood. While this refers to taking someone’s life, I would like to focus on the heart issue. You have heard it said that daggers were coming out of her or his eyes. Daggers were really not coming out of their eyes, but those were a direct reflection of the heart. As Jesus said in the Gospels, if your eyes have lusted, you have already committed adultery; the same principle can apply here. Simply be aware of your piercing tone and words, because they may be those daggers. Again, Proverbs 18:21 reminds us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

The Bible says we are supposed to walk in peace. The beach is peaceful, a great place to walk when the weather is calm, but when the wind is high and the weather is bad, I avoid the beach. Your life is the beach. It can attract people or turn them away. Let us stop throwing daggers with our actions, potentially shedding blood. The only blood you should be referring to is the blood Jesus shed for us. Instead, practice what Jesus told us to do: love one another as we want to be loved. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Don’t be caught trying to understand the heart without first giving yours to Jesus. You may not see the blood spilled on the ground, but that doesn’t mean you missed.

Prayer: Father, I pray that we stop speaking hatefully to one another. I pray that we give our hearts and hands to You, Father. I pray that we not only die to ourselves but live by faith in You, seeing things as You see them, in Jesus’ name. Amen.