The Third Day of Lent
Posted on March 7, 2025 by under
Scripture: Proverbs 6:12-19 (NKJV)
6:12 A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth;
13 He winks with his eyes, he shuffles his feet, he points with his fingers;
14 Perversity is in his heart, he devises evil continually, he sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly; Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.
16 These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.
Devotion
We can easily recognize the picture that Solomon draws of what he calls a “worthless person” or “wicked man.” Maybe we know people like this—they are, to put it in a single word, trouble.
This reading shows us how completely sin can take over a person’s life. There are people who spend time devising wicked plans, and then lying for the purpose of sowing discord and disagreement. People who have no problem lying, cheating, and swindling may not have a hard time shedding innocent blood, either. And it is hard for us to feel bad for people like this when calamity does come on them, if indeed we can see it come.
Far be it from us to engage in these behaviors! But if we are tempted, or especially if we see a Christian brother caught up in these behaviors, we should seek their repentance. As awful as all of these sins are, they are still sins for which Jesus took on human flesh to atone. He suffered for them as much as He suffered for “lesser” sins, and lesser sinners. Even many heroes of the faith and patriarchs had their weaknesses in these areas, like King David, who ordered the death of Uriah the Hittite, and like Jacob, who played many deceptive tricks on people.
Collect: Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
