In the book of Proverbs, the Lord passionately and intensely detests seven things. We've all done them, most likely more than once. Thank Him for His grace and mercy today.

Scripture: Proverbs 5:1-7:27

"There are six things the LORD hates—no, seven things he detests." Proverbs 6:16 (NLT)

The Lord’s name followed by the word hate stuns me. It is difficult to comprehend that our loving, merciful, benevolent, and gracious God can hate anything. In the original Hebrew, the word for hate is hate. The Lord passionately and intensely detests seven things. The ESV uses the word abomination, meaning a disgusting thing.

Let’s take a deeper look at these seven things:

1. Haughty eyes: Eyes that are snobbish, prideful or scornfully arrogant
2. Lying tongue: A mouth that contains untruthfulness and is deceptive
3. Hands that kill the innocent: Hands that steal blameless lives
4. Feet that race to do wrong: One who seeks to sin without a second thought
5. A heart that plots evil: A heart that plans and schemes with intent to harm
6. A false witness: One who lies about another
7. A person who sows family discord: One who purposefully "stirs the pot" and creates disharmony

I "hate" to admit it, but I have done one or more of these seven things more than once. Knowing that I have done some of these things (and will probably do a few again) brings me to my knees. How about you? Can you relate? Let’s thank the Lord today for His grace, mercy, and forgiveness and ask Him to help us:

1. See with humble and meek eyes full of compassion
2. Speak encouraging words with a truthful tongue
3. Care for others with hands that love and nurture life
4. Run with feet that race to do good
5. Cultivate a heart that longs to practice kindness
6. Speak with a mouth that only says the truth
7. Knit our families together in unity