Thursday, May 12, 2011

A Trouble Maker In The Family

Proverbs 6:19(MSG)
A mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family.

This is the sixth and seventh thing on God’s list of things He hates. The last one…a troublemaker in the family, He “loathes with a passion”, it says in verse 6:16.

A couple of things stand out to me here. First of all, it has already been stated in verse 17 that God hates a “tongue that lies,” so it is very interesting to me that another entry would be made about lying “under oath”. I wonder why this distinction. Is it because of the importance that we need to be men and women of our word, and when we give an oath that we are telling the truth, we better be!!? Food for thought….

The second part of this verse is the “one more thing he loathes with a passion” that is referred to in verse 16. So, placing those two verses together, I come up with: God loathes a troublemaker in the family! I’ve seen what a troublemaker can create within the family and it can be a very destructive force. A family member causing strife amongst the other members tears down the walls of unity that are crucial for them to stand firm against the schemes of Satan. When the shelter is disintegrating it becomes weak and begins to crumble with the slightest hint of adversity.

I don’t have to look very far in the Bible before I come across the first “troublemaker” in the family unit. The story of Cain and Abel reveals the destructive power of anger within the confines of what should have been the perfect loving family. Unfortunately for Abel, his brother Cain did not devote himself completely to the Lord and wound up in a jealous rage over Abel’s devotion to God and the favor that he had with Him. The end result, of course, was the death of Abel at the hands of Cain. (Genesis 4:1-12) Yep, troublemakers in a family will bring destruction indeed.

Lord,
You are our hope in this verse. You are the rock that we stand firmly on with our feet planted solidly in Your Word. I am asking tonight for Your grace to pour over those who are reading this who might have someone in their home who is creating destruction. Guard each of their hearts tonight and give them your love and mercy to cling to. Guide their decisions as it relates to this situation and give them a peaceful place to dwell in You.
Amen
Psalm 90:1 (NIV)
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations!

2 comments:

  1. WOW! Love your post. God certainly has perfect timing! Just what I needed to hear and at the right time. Praises to His Holy name!!

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  2. Hi Sue! I'm always amazed at how God will use His word to gently assure us of His presence. I pray that God will continue to work with mighty wonder in your life!

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