Check Your Plans – The Kingdom Curriculum X (2)

Check Your Plans

The Kingdom Curriculum X (2)

“You shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17

“But if anyone hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and attacks him fatally so that he dies…” Deuteronomy 19:11

What are Your Plans?

One of the characteristics of murder – as opposed to manslaughter – is premeditation. One is guilty of breaking the sixth commandment when, having allowed hate to gain a foothold in his soul, he plots the demise of the one he hates. But such plotting is not confined to actually taking another person’s life. Lesser acts of “murder” are just as heinous in the eyes of the Lord.

From its base camp in the soul, hatred (or jealousy, irritation, or resentment) plots its course against its foe. It begins to nurture a vision of the hated party suffering for his sin: perhaps he needs to be embarrassed or brought down a notch; maybe a vicious rumor would get him; it might be enough just to snub or scorn him in front of his friends; or maybe I’ll find some way to turn others against him, too. Visions begin to gain potency and appeal, and lead to plans, strategies, and looking for opportunities to make the offender pay. This is nasty stuff, completely unbecoming of those who have been called to love their neighbors as themselves.

Our text shows us that murderous behavior arises by stages – from affections to visions then plans and strategies, and, finally, actions of violence in varying degrees. Be careful what you allow to set up camp in your heart; guard the thoughts and plans of your mind, especially concerning those who may have offended against you. We are called to love even our enemies, as Jesus reminded us (Matt. 5:44). The thoughts we nurture and the plans we concoct concerning our neighbors – even if they are our enemies – must be designed to edify, not to destroy, to aid, not to annihilate, to help, not to hurt.

The Apostle John taught that those who would follow Jesus must walk in the commandments of God (1 John 2:1-6). Order your copy of The Law of God by going to www.MyParuchia.com and clicking on Publications, Waxed Tablet. Begin meditating on God’s Law today.

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore.

T.M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.