Proverbs 17:4

“An evildoer listens to wicked lips,

    and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.”

Proverbs 17:4

Note the parallels. I think most people would consider a liar to be untrustworthy or someone to avoid. However, I doubt many people would normally substitute the word evildoer in place of liar. Nor, do I think many people would normally think of someone who lies as having “wicked lips.” My natural reaction is that those substitutions sound harsh. Yet, God interchanges these words in these ways.

One thing I think this reveals is the contrast between how people tend to view sin and how God views sin. It seems to me that God sees sin as exceedingly sinful (or evil) and I tend to soften it a bit. Does that make me kinder than God? Not at all. It makes me less accurate than God.

Lord, help me to see how evil sin is, resulting in a greater desire to avoid it and to walk in righteousness.

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