A Heart That Devises Wicked Schemes

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

I can see most of us getting into a tight spot and having to make a decision that is not within our normal character. You could say we are between a rock and a hard place, with no wiggle room left. All of the good, easy, and comforting decisions have already been made, and the only ones left will hurt or cause some pain.

I have been there many times. You are moving down the road of life, and then life throws you a curveball, and you have to adjust. One time, my wife and I were planning a much-needed trip to Hawaii. The night before we were set to leave, while we were out at dinner talking about how wonderful the trip would be, my wife got a call from her dad. From the look on her face, I knew something was wrong. Bobbie, her dad’s wife of many decades, had passed away, and the funeral was in two days. There we were, between that rock and a hard place, with no wiggle room. Go to Hawaii or cancel the trip and attend the funeral. We canceled. We lost money on the deposit and flights, but it was the right decision. Instead of heading to Houston to drop off our girls, we went to Texarkana to attend the funeral and console her father. We still have not made it to Hawaii, but I know we will one day.

The Amplified Classic Edition describes deadly sin number four as “a heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans.” Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Throughout the Bible, the heart is described as the place where either wickedness or godliness resides. In Matthew 12:34, Jesus says that what fills the heart eventually comes out of the mouth. At the center of this deadly sin is a heart that devises sinful plans with no room for goodness.

But we are not left to fix our hearts on our own. 2 Corinthians 5:17 reminds us that anyone in Christ is a new creation; the old has passed away, and the new has come. Jesus understands our hearts and replaces the heart of stone with a new one. This process, called sanctification, takes time. It is a daily decision to guard our hearts and minds, to reject sinful thoughts before they take root, and to let the Holy Spirit guide us. Decide today that your heart belongs to Jesus, and trust Him to shape it into something new.

Prayer: Father, our hearts need daily cleaning. Help us submit every thought to You and reject the sinful ones that try to take root. Give us hearts that pursue You wholeheartedly. In Jesus’ name, amen.