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The Wicked Man


In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. His ways are always prosperous; your laws are rejected by him; he sneers at all his enemies. He says to himself, “Nothing will ever shake me.” He swears, “No one will ever do me harm.” (Psalm 10:2-6)
I doubt there has been a survey done to prove that most evil people don’t believe they’re evil, but since I’m pretty sure that most people don’t believe they’re evil, I’m betting it’s true. I’m no different. I like to tell myself I’m not evil, but when I think about it, I know it’s not true. I also know that I have what some consider an extreme view of evil. Anything that is not one hundred percent good is evil. Those who are saved have been forgiven and justified. They are being sanctified, which means they’re on the road to good, but they haven’t arrived.
         Evil is not a person. The devil is evil, but evil is not the devil. We are evil but evil is not we. Today’s passage begins with arrogance, and I suspect that is a key. Evil is deceptive. It preys on the weak, and we are all weak. It catches us all in its schemes. That means we end up deceived, partly because we are arrogant enough that we believe we are good enough, wise enough, strong enough… whatever-else-enough. The easiest person to trick is the one who considers himself the authority.
          When we make ourselves the authority about what is right and wrong, and we use ourselves as the standard, we are doing nothing more than boasting about the cravings of our hearts. This is why it’s so important to use objective, external standards. This is why we must seek the Lord and accept His laws. We cannot trust that our ways are good ways, untainted by deception and evil.

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