The Sinful Seven

Read Proverbs 6

There are six things the LORD hates—no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.

Proverbs 6:16-19

Our culture has a list for everything—the worst-dressed celebrities, the safest cars, the best places to live, the highest-paid athletes, the top colleges. Lists are always informative, often fascinating, and occasionally disturbing.

The Bible also has its share of lists. The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) and the Beatitudes of Christ (Matthew 5:1-12) are the most famous. And then there’s the lesser-known list of things God hates in Proverbs 6.

It is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but it is intended to give us pause. The primary idea is to show that people of corrupt character naturally live in a way that dishonors God. They live for self, giving little or no thought to their Creator and his standards. Check your own attitudes, thoughts, speech, and actions. Are you engaged in a lifestyle that the Lord says he detests?

A WORD FOR TODAY

Don’t harbor attitudes God hates.

Today, Lord, I want to do what you love—the things that please you, not the things that you hate. Make me self-aware, vigilant, and desirous of doing good.