Arrows of words

Proverbs 16: 27-29 says, “An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire.
[28] A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
[29] A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good.”

Jordan relays, “I read that verse 27 and I wonder what these ‘newsmen’ at CBS, NBC, ABC and CNN think about themselves when they hear that verse. There’s always a motive behind gossip and that’s it. Gossip is a means to an end and that’s to separate people.

“You know what somebody who’s always going out looking for, listening for trying to find the dirt? You ever catch yourself doing that? It says rejoice with them that rejoice. You hear a good report and what do you do?

“ ‘Yeah, man, but there’s something bad about that. Tell me the bad stuff.’ You know, you’re always looking for that, aren’t you? That’s the ungodly nature in you. That’s the ungodly tendency. When you see that, stop! That’s not who you are.

“Psalm 64 says, Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
[3] Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
[4] That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
[5] They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
[6] They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.’

“Here’s old David. Boy, I know the sentiment of his heart. David’s praying to God and he says, ‘Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked.’

“The arrows in verses 2-6 are arrows of their words. God’s going to shoot at them with an arrow. It will be His Word coming back at them.

“We’re not to be out seeking iniquity. What are we supposed to seek after? Truth. ‘Buy the truth and sell it not.’ Goodnight, spend your life looking for dirt! You know what will happen? You’ll come away dirty! You don’t go judging in another man’s areas.

“Philippians 4:8 says, ‘Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things..’

“Now if it’s all those things, then you can think about it.  You got to be careful as a leader not to always be over there trying to figure out what’s the matter with so and so. If there’s any virtue, if there’s any praise, look at them with the eyes of grace.

“You know how God looked at Israel? That thing back in Numbers, He said, ‘I haven’t beheld iniquity in Jacob and I haven’t seen sin in Israel.’ They were dropping dead like flies all the way back to Egypt and God said, ‘I don’t see it. I don’t see it.’ That’s God’s justice telling you how He looked at it. That’s how you’re supposed to look at things; the way God does--with a renewed mind, not going to judge someone else: ‘If there’s anything needs fixin’, I’m gonna fix me!’ ”