Six things the Lord hates

Someone once told me that in the Bible, when God states He hates something, then adds more to it, He really hates it. That's the case with Proverbs 6:16-19 (NASB). There are six things God hates, then He adds one to show he detests it.

Let's dissect this one a bit. They are all sins against another person. God loves us all so much, that He hates to see us hurt each other, regardless of whether we agree with them or not in our life choices.

There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:

Haughty eyes,  <self-conceit and over-weening pride in ourselves and our accomplishments>

a lying tongue, <Satan is the Father of lies and God is truth. Lying to others almost always stems from a desire to be better, in thought, word or deed, than someone else>

And hands that shed innocent blood, <abortion instantly comes to mind, as well as murder (of course), but this would include physically hurting someone else>

A heart that devises wicked plans, <I find that people usually come up with wicked plans because they covet what someone else has - again, to the detriment of the other>

Feet that run rapidly to evil, <God mentions this one in Proverbs 1 as well, so we should be aware of how much He hates it when we turn to evil methods of doing things.>

A false witness [who] utters lies, <Again God focuses on lying, but this time a person is using false witness to accuse another wrongly. Intentionally hurting another is the worst of evils.>

And one who spreads strife among brothers. <Gossip, spreading rumors, causing discord between others is the chief abomination God refers to as His seventh. Again, people gossip to lift themselves up, in an effort to seem more than they are by causing others to seem less.>

In conclusion, God hates it when we are not other-focused. We are to love our brethren, our neighbors. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan for a reason! The Samaritan did not believe the same as the person he helped, but he helped anyway. We want, in the final analysis, for God to tell us we have done well - and it seems from this passage that the crux of doing well is treating others well.

So how about it? Conceited or prideful? Lies or half-truths come from your mouth often? Do you physically or emotionally hurt someone? Scheming to get ahead? The End Justifies the Means for you? Do you lie about others to lift yourself up?

Even if you do none of those, how about gossip? And here's one for my fellow Christians - "I just want you to know that Susie is doing <insert sin>, but I'm only telling you that so you know how to pray."

Convicted yet? I am, and I'm sorry Adonai!