Psalm 26:4-5

Psalm 26:4-5  

Who to avoid

      Here is a list of the people to avoid in life! It is also a recommendation of how to conduct ourselves with certain people / organisations. “Don’t sit. Do not associate. Abhor. Refuse to sit.”

The deceitful are those who say one thing, stand up for a cause, appear to support a plan but, behind the scenes, are plotting and scheming something completely different. Sadly, self-interest is top of their agenda and we see such people in public life, in the workplace, even in families. If we are aware that those we associate with are “deceivers” then David recommends that we don’t get involved. Stay clear, you may have to tolerate their presence, they don’t always go away, but don’t sit with them. Don’t associate yourself with their schemes. Deceivers and hypocrites fall into the same camp for me. They are described in Proverbs 6:12-14. “A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet, and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart – he always stirs up conflict.” Made in the image of their father they are, the satan is their master. If you are in a workplace situation where there are people who knowingly and openly practice deceit, do not associate yourself with their schemes.  If you are in a relationship with anyone who uses deceit as a means of control and who know they cannot be trusted, then it is time to move on!

 

David obviously had meetings with various groups and committees on a regular basis, after all, he was king and head of the armed forces. He would meet with local city elders and receive deputations from other countries. In his official capacity he came into contact, daily, with many different groups and he uses very strong terms to describe some of them. “I abhor the assembly of evildoers.” If people came together to plot and scheme evil against others, or used deception for their own gain, then the king wanted none of it. In fact he loathed and despised them and refused to join their meetings. We are currently in the throes of a General Election in the UK; forgetting about Party political allegiances, are you aware that there are MPs who practice deceit? If so, can we, in all honesty, vote for them, as Christians? Are you on a Board of Directors or in a Business Partnership or sitting on a Council, Governing Body or any other committee that you know has used deception or plotted to do something that is dishonest? If so, can you sit with such people? Sadly, I once saw this happen amongst a body of Church elders who rigged an election of deacons. It was a long time ago and I was a young man who should have exposed them, but I was too frightened to do so. Never again! God keep us honest, let us always be men and women of integrity before Him. 

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