Lying lips and evil lives

This mornings readings have struck me in two ways.

Firstly, Psalm 31: 18

Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak
arrogantly against the righteous.

It really hit me how strange a prayer this is for modern lips. And yet, I know that yesterday I was writing in a questionnaire about my fears regarding the shifts in the legal position of faith and belief. I contended that the media do two dangerous things. Firstly, they misreport what people of faith actually believe - often because it's too subtle; and secondly, the overall tone toward faith is that it represents a deficieny in a person. They use phrases like "out-dated" to describe what peculiar people we are. We are abberant, incomplete, somehow flawed.

And this is a lie.

I am more fully who I am meant to be. More Rolf than a non-Christian Rolf would be (perhaps he'd shave his beard off?)

So maybe this prayer is relevant - despite its strong tone.

Maybe we should petition God to silence the arrogant godless who spread false lies?


Secondly, as Judah slipped, somewhat inexorably, toward exile an 8 year old is made king. Yes, an 8 year old, Jehoiachin (2 Chronicles 36:9-10). Now it's not his age that is remarkable [Edward III was 14 when he was CROWNED King of England. Edward VI was 9 when HE was crowned.
BUT Henry VI was nine months old when he was declared King at the death of his father.]
No, age is not the thing.

It's his description.

"He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord"

What!??!! He was only 8!

But that is the testimony of Scripture - he did what was evil. Does this mean he was evil? Or was he tutored to not challenge the evil behaviours in Judah? After all, even good king Josiah stuffed up in the end when he opposed God (2 Chronicles 35:21), which he did by failing to recognise God's voice. Maybe Jehoiachin simply did the same?

He might have indulged in some immoral practices though? Soothsaying, worshipped Baal, or consulted mediums (it's pretty certain he won't have sacrificed any children!). Did he practice that which was forbidden? Surely he could be forgiven for doing what his fathers before him did?

Or maybe, more worryingly, he was, in himself, evil.

What might this do to our view of schooling, of Sunday school, of the role of parents? When I was 8 was I evil?

Not sure there are easy answers to this...

One thing is sure:
- Am I invovled in practices I know God has asked me not to?
- Do I resist or oppose God? Do I shut out the Spirit? Have I submitted to Jesus as my Lord today?
- Can I discern God's voice? Am I listening to God's words from scripture?
- Am I praying for God's protection?

Not just any old Friday, eh?