The shock of my Christian life was realising that this description of the wicked fit me…
In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. [Psalm 10:2]
Arrogance comes from believing ourselves to be so ‘right’ we can tell others how to live. We give ourselves permission to put others straight and use clever schemes to bring people into line with what we believe.
He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. [Psalm 10:3]
Our empty hearts need an object for their cravings. Too impatient to wait on God to fill us, we direct our cravings towards ministry, developing a greed for what we are convinced is on God’s heart.
His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies.’ [Psalm 10:5]
Convinced we are right, we justify abandoning love to cajole others into developing our ministry success.
His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. [Psalm 10:7]
This ministry is spread through half-truths masquerading as God’s word. Threats of terrible consequences silence the objections of love. Its fruit is trouble and evil, for love is driven away by wickedness. It looks and sounds so right and Biblical, but where is the life of Jesus?
Trying not to be like this becomes another form of wickedness. The Lord overcomes my wickedness as I spend time with HIm so he can fill me with his love.