Evil Hear, Evil Be

(Proverbs 17:4 KJV)  A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to a naughty tongue.

Two recurring themes in Proverbs are again addressed here.  We do not like to accept either of them.  First, evil exists.  Second, many people enjoy and seek out evil.

“Evildoer” (7489a) is simply the root word for evil.  It is translated many ways but they seem to have the idea of active evil, thus “evildoer”.   An “evildoer” (7489a) tends to focus on evil.  Surely you have noticed this.  One of the fastest growing parts of the internet is the pornography genre.  If you follow the news you surely heard about the government agency that had employees spending a significant part of their time viewing and storing pornography.  I am sure others wait to be revealed. 

This tendency is one used by the devil to bring people down.  Non-believers are easy targets.  They have no spiritual defenses.  Believers might take a little work, but we open ourselves for repeated attacks.  Think about it.  How do you spend your spare time?  When you watch a TV program, what does it teach you about the family?  I confess.  I don’t watch TV anymore except under duress.  What I remember mocked parents and portrayed children as the fountain of wisdom.  What do you read?  When was the last time you saw an important character state that sex was to be reserved for the marriage bed?  I could go on but I am sure you get the point.

It is easy to look around and wonder about others but are we listening to “wicked” (205) lips? 

So?  What do we do?  First, be honest.  I am not listening to your inner conversation but God is, and He knows truth when He hears it.  Second, don’t panic or freak out.  Take some time to thoughtfully look for alternatives.  It may involve changing how you relax or spend your leisure.  Make the change.