Today’s Blog: Winking?
TODAY PROVERBS: One who winks his eyes schemes deceit, one who purses his lips is bent on evil. Proverbs 16:30, TLV
Scripture teaches us to be transparent. No easy task with the more strong emotions like anger and fear. Some folks are better at it than others. But, most of us try to conceal what we don’t want others to see. And that concealment can cause problems.
The opposite of transparency
The opposite of transparency is secrecy. There are two types of secrecy:
- those with strategic evil intent,
- those who haven’t dealt with the root causes of strong emotions.
In this proverb are examples of how strategic secrecy can manifest. Have you ever caught someone in an unguarded moment and seen the disdain they have for you? It’s quite unsettling. Or, watched as someone winked to another and you knew it was meant to ridicule you in some way?
When we get that uncomfortable “feeling,” in most cases, it’s discernment. Be wary of these folks. In these situations, transparency is not advisable. Guard our hearts. Be wise about what we share about ourselves.
In the case of secrecy caused by strong emotions, we must deal with our own hearts. Being in various levels of ministry for over 20 years, I’ve seen a lot of “winking,” rolling of eyes, and pursing of lips. I’ve been guilty of doing it myself. But, I didn’t realize then was how damaging and divisive it was. It’s a form of disdain and pride, and that’s not good.
When we’re angry with someone, it takes a lot of effort to deal with it quickly. If we don’t, it will fester and result in our no longer being transparent with that person — and others around us. Festering creates opportunities for more sin, especially division and disunity.
It’s not easy to deal with our own issues. But, always, it’s worth it.
May we be transparent with wisdom, my friends.
Proverbs 16:30 Tree of Life Version – TLV, #tlvbible, #tlvproverbs
