Hating Both Actions and Attitude

Scripture:
The Lord hates six things;
in fact, seven are detestable to Him:
arrogant eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that plots wicked schemes,
feet eager to run to evil,
a lying witness who gives false testimony,
and one who stirs up trouble among brothers
Proverbs 6:16-19

Observation: In this list of seven things God hates, several are easy to understand ... lying, murder, false testimony, and wicked thoughts. A few aren't as straightforward, though they can be understood well enough ... arrogant eyes (both lust and coveting, wrongly desiring what you see), stirring up trouble (inciting others to sin and rumor mongering), and feet running to evil (simply embracing evil things and being drawn to them).

In this, clearly to please the lord one should do none of these. To the extent they align to the commandments, that is understood. However, some of these do not have an alignment, and those are the ones that have to do with one's attitude toward wrongdoing in general. It isn't enough to not do wrong, God hates it when we incite others into sin, or when we are drawn toward evil, or when we just think about doing something wrong. Our attitude matters.

Application: So much of my life is lived inside my head. God knows this, and wants to be the Lord of my mind. While the Law speaks to actions, love speaks to attitude. When I love others, I will show them, but I will also think kindly and empathetically toward them. When I want to avoid hurtful conflict, one way is to not act on anger, but the other is to never feel angry.

My ability to serve God - and to avoid the actions he hates - begins by avoiding the attitudes he hates.

Prayer: Lord, again today I ask your forgiveness of my sins. I also ask you to be the Lord of my heart and mind. May my love for you begin inside my mind, and may my actions then be an extension of that internal guidance. In this way, I know your spirit will guide me to ensure my body remains a living sacrifice to you. Amen.