When the monsterous dictator, Saddam Hussein, was captured, he wasn't sitting in one of his many gold filled palaces. He was pulled from a dank dirty pit in the ground. He was covered in filth and his long hair and matted beard depicted a broken man. What he did to others, he faced judgment for doing, and ended up in a deplorable humiliating condition.
Not all of us have witnessed a person with such disregard for human life. But we've all seen folks who connive, deceive and scheme to bring about a desired result. Manipulators. They set up situations in which they hope to destroy another's reputation and gain notoriety for themselves. They dig pits with tools of strife, and gossip and accusations. They sit at their table and "speak kindly" but with a pretentious heart of guile. (Proverbs 26:24,25) And often they are charming; their words drip with honey-coated flattery.
Have you fallen into a pit dug by another at some point in your life? Has someone hurt you? Have they purposefully and pointedly dug a pit and then at the opportune time, pushed you into it? Has a coworker devised a plan to get the promotion by criticizing you? Has someone pretended to be a friend to gain information, only to betray you later. Has someone done that to someone you love?
"Whoever digs a pit [for another man's feet] shall fall into it himself, and he who rolls a stone [up a height to do mischief], it will return upon him." Proverbs 26:27.
Some think they can get away with treating others without any regard to their actions. Even some Christians do this. Can they escape the pit they've dug for another when God's Word says they shall fall into it themselves? Can a Christian lead others to follow after him and walk in disobedience and expect to be free of consequence? Better a millstone be hung around their necks, our Savior says.
"Whoever leads the upright astray into an evil way, he will himself fall into his own pit, but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance." Proverbs 28:10.
For years Joseph's brothers lived a life of regret. They watched their father grieve over the loss of a son they'd told him had been killed by wild beasts. Their sins were found out. Humiliation and fear gripped their hearts when their plot was exposed to the world. Yet, Joseph was met with a goodly inheritance.
No matter what befalls you, no matter who betrays you, your integrity, honesty and loyalty will endure. selahV
[copyrighted, SelahV Today, 2008]
