Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death. Don’t excuse yourself by saying, “Look, we didn’t know.” For God understands all hearts, and he sees you.
He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve. [Proverbs 24.11-12]
God understands ALL hearts.
Evidently, we know when we have done wrong. However, the real violation comes when we lie about what we knew...
Why would we lie? Because, somehow, we think we are in control of what happens to our lives and that by lying we can protect our interests in any given matter. Lying is yet another symptom of pride.
My responsibility is not to take care of myself, but to take care of others. God has said He will take care of me and that is all that matters for my concern. Any effort of my own for my own preservation (in lieu of preserving others) is an arrogant declaration that God will not take care of me.
If God doesn't take care of me, then, obviously I am being repaid for not doing His bidding in the first place. God is not on trial here - when things do not go right, the fault is, and always will be, mine. God's promises/blessings upon obedience (including the obedience of faith) are not random. Neither are His curses random! If I am not being taken care of, it is my own doing.
We are so practiced in lying to ourselves that it occurs to me today that we have become quite calloused to it. Our society has so convinced us that we must look out for ourselves that we see nothing wrong with overlooking the obvious needs or others in front of us so we might meet our own needs first.
How can we expect God's blessings upon our lives when, at the basest level, we refuse to act upon what we know is right? We can't!
I am certain there are better, more educated responses to be read about the verse above that explain why it doesn't actually mean what it says. But, I guarantee that the proponents of such explanations are not walking in the obvious power of God. Instead, they will be dealing with curses upon their lives by producing further "better, more educated responses" that only further implicate their powerless, Godless, cursed condition.
I for one am weary of living in a deceived. powerless, Godless, cursed condition when the Bible is absolutely rife with promises of abundance, health, and blessings. I am weary of my own pride and shallowly looking after myself. I am weary of reading all the promises of God and experiencing so little of them. I am weary of taking care of myself when every promise in the Bible says God will do it, if I will just obey and do His bidding. Following my own deceptive, desperately wicked heart has gotten me nothing but pain and suffering.
Father, forgive me for yet more and deeper pride and arrogance in my life that calls for no blessing from You. I need Your help - Your Spirit - as provided by Your Son Jesus - to overcome the long-indoctrinated self love that prevents Your blessings on my life. You are so good and faithful - all I can do is believe in and depend on You.
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