FEET THAT ARE SWIFT IN RUNNING TO MISCHIEF
“These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to mischief, A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren. “(Proverbs 6:16-19)
When “wicked imaginations” are formed in the heart, the feet will be quick to carry them out (Isaiah 59:7). The paths that the feet follow in life reveal the condition of the heart (Matthew 12:33). When your feet carry you to do evil; when they carry you to worldly places; when they carry you around the country spreading lies, rumors, and gossip; when they carry you from bed to bed, from pleasure to pleasure, your feet reveal the condition of your heart.
Feet that are swift to run into mischief are people who practice mischievous activities and can’t turn down the opportunity when it comes up again because they’re so used to doing it. “He goes after her straightway, as an ox goes to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks” (Proverbs 7:22).
“To run to mischief” is to be eager to put something over on someone–to get by with something–to get something by deceit or trickery. Feet that are quick to rush into evil” can be viewed as “the enthusiastic and complete involvement” in things that dishonor God. This happens when we know what do to and we choose not to do it. Sin is its own punishment, devouring you from the inside. Here’s what Proverbs 10:23 says about the character of such a person: “It is as sport to a fool to do mischief….” And Proverbs 7:16 warns: “His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.” “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
People who take delight in carrying out all sorts of wrongdoing know that what they are doing is wrong but still go ahead with it. They derive fun from their mischief and like to create chaos for their benefit. An example is found in Mark 14:1, where the Chief Priest and scribes sought for a way to take Jesus by their craftiness and put him to death. In today’s world, this act is called setting someone up. We see this happening even in the house of the Lord were out of insecurity, a fellow believer can set up his brother or brethren to fail or is quick to make mischief out of a situation that could ordinarily be settled.
King Saul practiced “mischief” against David when he tried to capture and kill the righteous young man (1 Samuel 23:9). Saul was being unjust and unreasonable. The wicked men may speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts (Psalm 28:3). Solomon said that God’s favor is with the man who earnestly desires to know and to do what is good, “but he that seeks mischief, it shall come to him” (Proverbs 11:27). “When the mischief that a wicked man pursues comes to him”, it comes to him from God, and will fill his life with misery (Proverbs 12:21). Mischief causes trouble for all concerned, and those who love trouble are already in trouble-with God.
The root cause of falling into mischief is a lack of the fear of God (Proverbs 28:14). The fear of God will keep us from entertaining the spirit of mischief, for the fear of God is to hate evil. Those who do not fear God cannot hate evil, and their minds are constantly searching for new ways to sin; they even lie awake at night devising new mischievous schemes (Psalm 36:1-4). Some of God’s own people drift so far away from His love that in their hearts they, as Satan once did in heaven, begin to conspire to work mischief against others in their heavenly Father’s kingdom. They cause trouble among the saints with their strange thoughts and self-willed deeds. God said that His children work mischief against Him when they pursue the ways of other gods instead of maintaining His righteous paths (Hosea 7:13-16).
Whenever any child of God in this covenant fails to walk in the Spirit, he is following the spirit of mischief, which always leads to trouble.
It is clear from the Scriptures that mischievousness is evil. It is as much evil as peacefulness is good. Mischief brings about an end of peace; it is pursued by those who do not want peace. Mischief is made for the saints by those who set themselves in opposition to the beauty and love that God brings into the lives of fallen man. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). I dare to add, “Cursed are the mischief makers, for they shall be called the children of the devil.”
Peace is precious. Without it, the children of God cannot learn, cannot grow in the knowledge of their heavenly Father, cannot attain to fellowship in the light. Mischief stirs up trouble and prevents peacefulness from being established in the family of God. Those who run toward mischief are running right into the hands of a furious God, who loves His children and will destroy the peace breakers with an eternity of worse misery than they have brought upon others.
https://mountzionblog.org/feet-that-are-swift-in-running-to-mischief/
Whether it is a backslidden believer or an unconverted sinner, all who run swiftly toward mischief are an abomination to God, just as all who strive to make peace are His delight (Pastor John D. Clark, Sr.).
HOW TO COUNTERACT FEET THAT ARE SWIFT TO RUN TOO MISCHIEF
• Fear God. Solomon said it quite plainly: “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil” (Proverbs 8:13). If you find that you are eager to be involved in evil, you can be sure that you do not fear the Lord as the Bible calls you to. Those who fear the Lord will hate and therefore actively avoid evil; they will not tolerate it or be eager to run to it.
• Deal swiftly with evil. Solomon warned, “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11). Properly speaking, Solomon’s point is the execution of a sentence against evil from an outside source, but the basic principle is the same: If we do not deal swiftly with the evil that our hearts devise, we will soon find our feet tempted to run to it. Don’t tolerate evil thoughts and words and deeds in your life. It just makes it easier to find eager enjoyment in those things.
When evil thoughts come into your head, deal swiftly with them, and replace them with righteous thoughts. When others speak evil, rebuke them, and remove yourself from such talk.
• Watch your companions. Hear Solomon again: “My son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths, for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood” (Proverbs 1:15–16). Solomon’s counsel to his son was to avoid the influence of those whose feet were swift to run to mischief. We become like the company we keep, and if we will avoid feet that are swift to run to mischief, we must avoid those whose feet are swift to run to evil.
• We need God’s guidance. “It is not in man to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10:23). This is the beginning of wisdom—realizing that we don’t have what it takes to direct our own steps… we need God in every step we take! “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23-24). Do we let God order our steps? Or do we give the orders ourselves? You choose which way you want to go—in the straight and narrow or your own road! (Proverbs 16:9).
If we choose to walk with God—He will direct our steps! God delights in the one whose steps are ordered from above.
Finally, think long and hard before you act or speak. “Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right hand or to the left; turn your foot away from evil” (Proverbs 4:26–27). Our feet often run to evil because we don’t stop to think about where we are going. What will be the ramifications of your words and actions? Will they help people or hurt them? The best way of avoiding evil is to actively ponder your ways and instead do what is good. Instead of hastening in your eagerness to do evil, make your prayer that of the psalmist: “I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word” (Psalm 119:101).
Trust in the Lord and He will direct your path! (Proverbs 3:5-6). Ours is a walk of faith, trusting in the Lord to direct our steps.
Acknowledge God, recognize His leading and His hand in directing your steps, be conscious of His presence. Then He will direct our path.
God’s Word is a lamp unto our feet (Psalm 119:105), a lamp to illuminate the right way for us go to the right path and will keep our feet from mischief!
James Dina
james@mountzionblog.org
31st July 2020
https://mountzionblog.org/feet-that-are-swift-in-running-to-mischief/
WORKS CITED
“An Exposition with Practical Observations upon the Book of Job” by JOSEPH CARYL.
https://sola5.org/author/schase/ - Stuart Chase
