Day 196 Violence and Mischief | Proverbs 16:29-30

 Violence and Mischief 

29 

Violent people mislead their companions,
     leading them down a harmful path.

30 

With narrowed eyes, people plot evil;
     with a smirk, they plan their mischief.

Verse 29

A cruel man will try to make other people behave like him. He will try to frighten them with a loud voice. He will even use force.

The cruel man’s neighbor should be very careful. He cannot trust the cruel man.

Verse 30

This man hardly says anything. But he has an evil plan. See Proverbs 6:12-15. The movements of his face are signals. You might be able to recognize his character if you watch his face.

When this man is ready, he will take action. Then everyone will suffer from his cruelty.

Today's proverbs talk about the actions of wicked people. Specifically, they highlight how evil people enjoy leading others into sin. Instead of repenting, they make their sins worse by causing others pain.

In Verse 30, why do people wink at others when they talk? Usually, the person winking is signaling that they are not telling the truth. This draws the other person into a conspiracy of lies, as they are now complicit in the falsehood.

Let me ask you: Do you ever cross your fingers or wink to try to soften a lie you're telling? This probably makes the sin of lying even more serious.

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