Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure. (Psalm 101:5)
In the previous devotion, David declared that he had no interest in following in the ways of the wicked lest their rebellious inclination negatively affect him. If we presume that David is the one who speaks the words in the verse above, then he takes that notion to another level. Not only did he intend to shun those who behaved wickedly, but as king, he pledged to deal harshly with those filled with pride and who slandered others. In other words, he determined that his household and government would not tolerate those who intentionally sowed seeds of discord and ungodliness because he understood how detrimental this would be to his rule.
It has always been and remains so today that there are people who thrive on drama, intrigue and pitting one person against another. In today’s world the internet is rife with those who stir up trouble in order to get followers and clicks. Unfortunately, the Body of Messiah has not been spared this contemptible practice; many are the “ministries” whose mission is to proudly slander their neighbor in order to build themselves up. Put simply, David said, “I despise this!” That should be our attitude as well. We should shun this practice outright, whether it is online or in our local assemblies. Whatever our realm of influence, whether our home, place of business or in our ministry, this despicable behavior should not be encouraged in the least. Frankly, choosing to ignore it simply enables it to spread further, meaning that when it is in our power to do so, we should shut it down.
David understood that because he was king, allowing such behavior to continue made him complicit in this destructive behavior. How can one who says, “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes” stand idly by and allow wickedness to spread when he has the authority and responsibility to stem such a threat to the peace and welfare of his household? Of course, there are situations when it is not our place to assert control. However, in those situations that do fall under our authority, we have the responsibility to shut down those who are actively stirring strife and behaving in a rebellious manner. If that be so, it stands to reason that we should not engage in this type of activity. Rather we should despise what the Lord despises — “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” (Proverbs 6:17-19)
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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