December 3 2005 Psalm 52
December 3, 2005 Psalm 52
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Psalm 52;1-5 “Why do you boast, O mighty one, of mischief done against the godly? All day long you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery. You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.”
Good and evil, Heaven and hell, Black and white.
The contrast between these words sets is unmistakable and easy to say, right? We’ve all been taught right from wrong, and at first glance, after reading the first few verses of Ps. 52, I doubt many of us would readily raise our hands and confess that we “boast of evil,” or “plot destruction.” When it comes to human behavior, unlike the clarity between the words in the above list, our emotions and the complexity of life paint our world in “shades of gray,” making it much more difficult to determine whether are not we’ve been “good” or “bad .” But God knows.
For example, when is spreading the news actually inappropriate gossip? When is constructive criticism actually “bad mouthing?” When is “consideration and analysis,” really “judgment?” Are you living an “honest life?”
I have now retired from the practice of law, when I used to prepare clients for trial, I would always tell them “Just tell the truth.” I quickly learned that a client could find a variety of ways to tell the “truth,” we’ve had some of those ways bordering on being immoral, though technically still truthful. In our homes, who among us is not guilty of telling “white lies,” such as when the phone solicitor calls during supper and you tell a “harmless” fib to get him off the phone quickly?
Do even small lies “plot destruction?” Yes! For one, they show that you do not have enough faith in yourself (and therefore in God) to tell the truth. The discipline of honesty, though sometimes painful, is necessary to bring us closer to Christ and help us grow on our spiritual journey. Without growth, a person becomes stagnant. A stagnant soul is easily broken and destroyed. Whether it be by self-destruction or by someone else via sabotage, lies bring ruin.
It is a sin to lie, but is it a sin to withhold the truth? My husband and I recently discussed this issue. We believe that the decision to withhold the truth must always be based on the needs of the person from whom you are withholding the truth, and that in no way can it hurt that person. That means the decision must be made with a genuine love for the person, such as the love of a parent for a child. The choices we make as parents to withhold from our children certain harsh “truths” are made out of love and could be harmful to them if not withheld. It’s not a black or white issue though, is it? We follow our hearts, where the Holy Spirit guides us.
Life moves fast and sometimes our days move even faster. Slow down today and take a really close look at your life. Are you withholding the truth from yourself? How Christ like is your behavior? And those shades of gray, where on the spectrum do your choices fall?
Heavenly Father, thank you for all the good you have brought into our lives, and all the joy you’ve so graciously filled within our hearts. Forgive us, Lord, when we lack faith and confidence in the truth. Rid us of our deceitful tongues, giving us strength to bear the burden when the truth is painful, remembering that the cross we bear is nothing compared to the cross that was carried for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Contributed by Lynda Welch
Click here for today’s podcast!
Psalm 52;1-5 “Why do you boast, O mighty one, of mischief done against the godly? All day long you are plotting destruction. Your tongue is like a sharp razor, you worker of treachery. You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking the truth. You love all words that devour, O deceitful tongue. But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.”
Good and evil, Heaven and hell, Black and white.
The contrast between these words sets is unmistakable and easy to say, right? We’ve all been taught right from wrong, and at first glance, after reading the first few verses of Ps. 52, I doubt many of us would readily raise our hands and confess that we “boast of evil,” or “plot destruction.” When it comes to human behavior, unlike the clarity between the words in the above list, our emotions and the complexity of life paint our world in “shades of gray,” making it much more difficult to determine whether are not we’ve been “good” or “bad .” But God knows.
For example, when is spreading the news actually inappropriate gossip? When is constructive criticism actually “bad mouthing?” When is “consideration and analysis,” really “judgment?” Are you living an “honest life?”
I have now retired from the practice of law, when I used to prepare clients for trial, I would always tell them “Just tell the truth.” I quickly learned that a client could find a variety of ways to tell the “truth,” we’ve had some of those ways bordering on being immoral, though technically still truthful. In our homes, who among us is not guilty of telling “white lies,” such as when the phone solicitor calls during supper and you tell a “harmless” fib to get him off the phone quickly?
Do even small lies “plot destruction?” Yes! For one, they show that you do not have enough faith in yourself (and therefore in God) to tell the truth. The discipline of honesty, though sometimes painful, is necessary to bring us closer to Christ and help us grow on our spiritual journey. Without growth, a person becomes stagnant. A stagnant soul is easily broken and destroyed. Whether it be by self-destruction or by someone else via sabotage, lies bring ruin.
It is a sin to lie, but is it a sin to withhold the truth? My husband and I recently discussed this issue. We believe that the decision to withhold the truth must always be based on the needs of the person from whom you are withholding the truth, and that in no way can it hurt that person. That means the decision must be made with a genuine love for the person, such as the love of a parent for a child. The choices we make as parents to withhold from our children certain harsh “truths” are made out of love and could be harmful to them if not withheld. It’s not a black or white issue though, is it? We follow our hearts, where the Holy Spirit guides us.
Life moves fast and sometimes our days move even faster. Slow down today and take a really close look at your life. Are you withholding the truth from yourself? How Christ like is your behavior? And those shades of gray, where on the spectrum do your choices fall?
Heavenly Father, thank you for all the good you have brought into our lives, and all the joy you’ve so graciously filled within our hearts. Forgive us, Lord, when we lack faith and confidence in the truth. Rid us of our deceitful tongues, giving us strength to bear the burden when the truth is painful, remembering that the cross we bear is nothing compared to the cross that was carried for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Contributed by Lynda Welch
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