Psalm 28 NLT
Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary. Do not drag me away with the wicked—with those who do evil—those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planning evil in their hearts. (vs. 2-3)
I live in a world where everyone smiles. It is such a huge blessing, as opposed to the world I come from where everyone seems grumpy all the time. In America, we say what we think and we often don’t worry about the consequences. In fact, we sometimes applaud the one who “tells it like it is” even though those people can be rude, unkind, and abrasive to everyone around them. Not so in Africa; in this relational society people are very careful about what they say, they thoughtfully measure every response and sometimes you have to read between the lines to get to what people really mean.
David condemns those who “speak friendly words to their neighbors while they plan evil in their hearts.” God abhors the hypocrite—He wants people to be forthright and speak what is true rather than try to flatter others to get some advantage over them. Yet, I am also reminded in Scripture that being “forthright” is not an excuse to be a verbal bully or try to always win an argument. In reality, the truth is in the middle. God wants us to speak friendly words to our neighbors, and He wants those to be genuine words that come from a kind and pure heart.
The bottom line of this text and the bottom line of our interactions with others is “What is really in your heart?” God looks at the heart and the Scripture teaches that the mouth speaks out of the overflow of the heart. Don’t be the typical loud Westerner who says everything they are thinking and talks as if everything is all about them. Also, don’t be a person who smiles and flatters, but inside has a heart of deception with a private agenda. Instead, be real, be true, and be kind. Speak friendly words to your neighbor, but from a heart that is pure and holy and seeking to be like Jesus.
