“A worthless person, a wicked man”
[Proverbs 6:12-15]
Do you think relationships are easy or difficult? Of course, the answer will be different depending on who you have a relationship with. For example, it won't be that difficult to establish relationships with these people, such as having many similarities with you, communicating with each other and making you comfortable. However, the problem is not only very different from you, but also weird and tricky personality, not only making you very uncomfortable, but even stressing you a lot. You want to stay away from such a person, and you probably don't want to be in a relationship. But what should we do about someone who is more than that, who is willing to contempt, harass, quarrel, hurt, etc.
In Proverbs 6, which we continue to meditate on for two weeks, King Solomon talked about the one who made guarantee financially for the unwise neighbors who destroy us (vv. 1-5) and the sluggard who destroys us morally (vv. 6-11). Then, in Proverbs 6:12-15, he is talking about “A worthless person, a wicked man” who ethically destroys neighboring relationships. So, I would like to receive some lessons from God as I think about who is a worthless and wicked man is based on Proverbs 6:12-15, under the title of “A worthless person, a wicked man”.
First of all, who is the worthless and the wicked man? Naver's dictionary defines “a worthless person” as ‘a person with bad conduct or character.’ And “a wicked man” is defined as ‘a person who does evil things (Naver Dictionary). However, from the Hebrew meaning of the original language, “a worthless person” is defined as “useless” or “worthlessness” (Brown). And “the wicked man” is defined as “the man of trouble” or ‘the tormenter’, “the troubler” (Brown). When you think about “a worthless person”, who comes to your mind in the Old Testament character? Have you ever remembered Abigail's ex-husband, “Nabal,” in the days of David? In 1 Samuel 25:25, the Bible says: “Please do not let my lord pay attention to this worthless man, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal is his name and folly is with him; ….” In addition to Nabal, in 1 Samuel 2:12, the Bible says, "Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they did not know the LORD." The Bible refers to people like Nabal and two sons of Eli as "a man of Belial" (v. 12). Here, “belial” is ‘a word used to give character to evils such as immorality or worthlessness,’ which in Hebrew means “wickedness” or “worthlessness”. Originally, this word was a common noun, but soon it came to be considered the devil itself. The apostle Paul used this word in the same way as Satan (Internet). Look at 2 Corinthians 6:15 – “Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?” In Proverbs 6:12-15, King Solomon says three things about “A worthless person, a wicked man”:
First, the worthless and the wicked man walks with a perverse mouth.
Look at Proverbs 6:12 – “A worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth.” Here, the word “a perverse mouth” literally means twisted mouth, and the words that come out of it are only false and deceptive words (Walvoord). In other words, the worthless, the wicked man speaks lies and deceitful words with his perverse mouth. Therefore, what is developed for him is his eye gestures, foot gestures, and finger gestures. Look at verse 13: “Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers.” What does it mean? It means that the worthless, the wicked man who speaks lies and deceitful words with his mouth is afraid that his hidden intentions will be detected by the victim during the conspiracy. So he gives a signal to his conspirator while using all his eyes, hand and feet gestures without letting the victim to notice. According to Pastor John MacArthur, this practice was common in the East (MacArthur). So Solomon said about the eye gesture in Proverbs 10:10 and 16:30 – “He who winks the eye causes trouble …” (10:10, “He who winks his eyes does so to devise perverse things” (16:30).
Personally, I value honest and sincere dialogue between heart and heart in the Lord when it comes to relationships. In the meantime, when I meet and talk with people, I also look closely at their body language. For example, when I have a serious conversation, I look into the other person's eyes and try to talk. And I often talk while looking closely at the other person's facial expressions and gestures. And sometimes I look at the other person's hand. The reason I do that is because I think we humans speak not only with our mouths but also with our gestures. In other words, it is because we use lots of non-verbal elements in our communication, and many messages are transmitted by the other party through these non-verbal elements. For example, a while ago, when I met a person and had a conversation, he opened his heart to me and had serious talks about a person he loved. At that time, I noticed that the person's voice was a little trembling and the tears around his eyes a little, and what I still remember vividly was looking at the person's neck. At that time, he was speaking while swallowing, and I could feel that the person was trembling. In that feeling, I could feel how much he loves his spouse. I had no doubts that that person was truly open to me and talking about his loved one. But sometimes, when I talk to someone, there are people who talk so much that I can’t figure it out the other person’s heart at all. Such a person, for example, has a loud, bright, and welcoming voice when he speaks to me. But when I see the content of his speech or his body language, I feel that he is too wrapped up in his heart and is exaggerating. When I talk with such person, I feel like he is trying to hide his own heart, so I can't feel the sincerity of his heart. The reason I give these personal thoughts and examples is to emphasize the importance of consistent words and actions as well as the integrity of the heart in human relationships. If we aren’t sincere to each other and our words and actions are not in harmony, it will be difficult for us to continue to maintain and develop trustworthy dialogues and relationships. In order for us to share the beautiful fellowship of saints in the Lord, we must speak the truth with our mouths. We should never speak lies and deceitful words with a deceitful mouth like the worthless and the wicked man.
Second, the worthless and the wicked man plot evil with deceit in his heart.
Look at Proverbs 6:14a – “who plots evil with deceit in his heart ….” The reason why the mouth of the worthless and the wicked man speaks deceit is because his heart is deceitful. In other words, the reason the worthless and the wicked man's mouth is perverted and the truth is perverted (distorted) to speak lies and deceit is because his heart is perverted. In the end, the perverted words come out of the perverted heart. To put it more understandably, the reason the worthless and the wicked man has no choice but to speak lies and deceit with his mouth is because his heart is false and he is deceiving himself. Why is the heart of the the worthless and wicked man false and self-deceived? What is the cause? It is because he distorts the truth. According to the words of 1 John 1:8, the reason the heart of the worthless and the wicked man is lying and being deceived is because the truth is not in him. Therefore, the worthless and the wicked man believes that he himself is innocent. The reason is because the distorted truth of the heart not only does not regard sin as a sin, but it cannot.
Satan likes to distort God's truth. In other words, Satan distorts God's word and makes us confused. One of those terrifying works of Satan is that he makes us believe in ‘mixed truth. In other words, by adding lies to God's word of truth, Satan makes us to believe in the mixed truth. What a terrifying and subtle work of Satan? Obviously, Revelation 22:18 says, “if anyone adds to them (the words of the prophecy of this book), God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book”. Now Satan and his servants, the heretics are adding to the Word of God. And as if Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness by quoting the Old Testament words, and in addition to the words, he perverted the truth and tempted Jesus (Mt. 4), so Satan and his servants, heretics, quote the truth of God and tempt us with the mixed truths by adding lies to His words. As in Proverbs 6:14, Satan and his servants, the heretics, are always plotting evil with deceit in their hearts. And the worthless and the wicked people who have no truth in their hearts, but full of lies and deceit, which are distorted truths, will defeat true Christians who love and obey the truth, are constantly devising evil and make them to commit sin, and lead them to apostasy from God. What should we do? First we must have the truth in our hearts. Look at Psalms 119:11 – “Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.” When we cherish the word of God's truth in our hearts, we will not sin against God. And as we obey the word of God and write it down in our hearts, we will be able to fight and win when Satan and the heretics tempts us with distorted lies. Also, we must keep the truth in our hearts and always strive for good. The reason is because we are created in Jesus Christ for good works (Eph. 2:10).
Third and last, the worthless and the wicked man always stirs up dissension.
Look at Proverbs 6:14b – “… he always stirs up dissension.” Don't you think it's natural for a quarrel amid discord if we always devise evil with our rebellious hearts, tell lies with our rebellious mouths, and deceive others? King Solomon talks about quarrels several times in Proverbs, and he describes the cause of the quarrels: hatred (10:12), hot-temper (15:18), perversity (16:28), and a fool’s lips (18:6; 20:3), mockery (22:10), greed (28:25), and anger (29:22, 30:33). What do you think? What do you think King Solomon said about these factors causing quarrel? I can’t help but agree with King Solomon’s words. I think that hatred, hot-tempered, or greed, etc., causes quarrels in human relationships. Especially, among the causes of quarrels, the one that comes to my heart is the words of 16:18 that “A perverse man stirs up dissension ….” Do you know the saying in Korean proverb, ‘Even if your mouth is twisted, speak what is right’? What does it mean? Doesn't it mean that we should always speak what is right no matter what? However, when we quarrel with each other, there are times when we cannot speak what is right and bend our words. Then we have no choice but to quarrel with each other. But when we think about why we do that, the answer is simple. It is because our hearts are crooked. In the end, if our people are crooked in human relations, they have no choice but to say crooked words out of that crooked mind, and then the relationship will be perverse. This is what Satan wants and likes. It is nothing but discord and strife. Satan likes us to fight and quarrel with each other in our homes and churches, resulting in strife and separation. That is why Satan is striving to keep us fighting by putting hatred, anger, perversity, foolishness, mockery and greed in us. In particular, Satan is causing us to quarrel by stimulating our desires that battle within us (Jam. 4:1). As a result, even Satan caused Jesus' disciples to cause a quarrel over who is great (Lk. 22:24). The reason why this quarreling work of Satan is dangerous is because where there is envy and selfish ambition, there we find disorder and every evil practice (Jam. 3:16). What should we do?
We must avoid contention and seek peace. In order to do this, we must speak the right words with the right heart in the sight of God. In other words, we must keep God's truth in mind and follow the right instruction and speak correctly. And we must stay alert and stay away from anyone who speaks wrongly and not correctly. In particular, we must be on guard against and away from those who are not right and have perverse heart. The reason is because those who are perverse and crooked will cause quarrels. No matter how right you say to such a person, unless God corrects their twisted hearts, not only will they not listen to you, but they will hate you and get angry at you.
The worthless and the wicked man is worthless and the trouble-causing wicked. Such a person has a deceitful mouth and a perverse heart, and always devises evil, stirring up dissension. We must learn from him or her that we should never be the worthless and the wicked people. Rather, we must realize that we must always be peace seekers and peace makers with a truthful mouth and a right heart. Therefore, we should be worthy people in the eyes of God and edifying in the home, church, and society.