At the beginning, God made humans in His image and put in
the human soul a moral compass (Gen. 1:27). This drives the human
desire to want fairness or need justice that doesn’t exist in the insect
or animal world. When wrong has been done, humans naturally want
the offender punished or corrected (Prov. 18:5; 21:15). But when we,
those we esteem, or those we’re afraid of are the offenders, partiality
can happen which invites disaster (Gen. 34:1-31; 2 Sam. 13:10-29).
A corruption of justice erodes a society and offends God (2 Chron.
19:7; Prov. 21:3; 24:24, 25; 25:26). While societies have imperfect
systems with imperfect judges, perfect justice can happen even if it’s
carried out imperfectly. Justice delayed is not necessarily justice
denied—justice is sometimes later (Rom. 12:17-20; 2 Thess. 1:5-10).

Humans were originally built helpful, protective, and others-focused. However, with sin in our hearts, we are now self-righteous, blamers, and hostile to those who hurt or offend us (Gen. 3:12, 13). Anger and hostility are not the same. Anger can be righteous while hostility comes from an evil heart of pride and selfishness, that starts at disrespect and ends with disunity (Eph. 4:26). A heart of hostility gets hostility in return, but a heart of graciousness creates peace fromhostility (Ps. 23:5; Prov. 15:1, 18; 25:15, 21, 22). Don’t look to be offended and insulted but look to be gracious and forgiving. Lack of graciousness for others is a heart issue—usually displayed through our mouth before it reaches our hands (Prov. 4:23; Matt. 18:21-35; Luke 6:45). While hostility is usually reactive, graciousness should always be proactive. In a culture that promotes negativity, criticism, and judgment, believers are to promote positivity, helpfulness, and grace(Prov. 16:32; 19:11; 29:11; Matt. 5:44; Col. 3:13).

Humans were originally built helpful, protective, and others-focused. However, with sin in our hearts, we are now self-righteous, blamers, and hostile to those who hurt or offend us (Gen. 3:12, 13). Anger and hostility are not the same. Anger can be righteous while hostility comes from an evil heart of pride and selfishness, that starts at disrespect and ends with disunity (Eph. 4:26). A heart of hostility gets hostility in return, but a heart of graciousness creates peace fromhostility (Ps. 23:5; Prov. 15:1, 18; 25:15, 21, 22). Don’t look to be offended and insulted but look to be gracious and forgiving. Lack of graciousness for others is a heart issue—usually displayed through our mouth before it reaches our hands (Prov. 4:23; Matt. 18:21-35; Luke 6:45). While hostility is usually reactive, graciousness should always be proactive. In a culture that promotes negativity, criticism, and judgment, believers are to promote positivity, helpfulness, and grace(Prov. 16:32; 19:11; 29:11; Matt. 5:44; Col. 3:13).

Everyone finds security in predictability and comfort. However, spiritual growth happens in the areas of divergence and inconvenience. The will of God is often found in our interruptions!Live with and open hand—the tighter the grip, the more damaging the removal. Flexibility isn’t lack of planning but a willingness to adapt our plans to God’s plans (Prov. 3:5, 6; 16:3). Inflexibility is a product of a prideful desire to be in control. The only constant is change, and resistance can reveal an unwillingness to acknowledge God may be doing something you have no say over (Is. 55:8, 9). All people, places, and events belong to God—God is sovereign, we are servants (Ps. 24:1; Jer. 27:5; 32:27; Acts 17:25, 26). This means that while we can make plans, God has the authority to change anything at any time—and our response to that change says more about us than God (Prov. 19:21). This is God’s world; we just get to live in it!

Everyone finds security in predictability and comfort. However, spiritual growth happens in the areas of divergence and inconvenience. The will of God is often found in our interruptions!Live with and open hand—the tighter the grip, the more damaging the removal. Flexibility isn’t lack of planning but a willingness to adapt our plans to God’s plans (Prov. 3:5, 6; 16:3). Inflexibility is a product of a prideful desire to be in control. The only constant is change, and resistance can reveal an unwillingness to acknowledge God may be doing something you have no say over (Is. 55:8, 9). All people, places, and events belong to God—God is sovereign, we are servants (Ps. 24:1; Jer. 27:5; 32:27; Acts 17:25, 26). This means that while we can make plans, God has the authority to change anything at any time—and our response to that change says more about us than God (Prov. 19:21). This is God’s world; we just get to live in it!

God built humanity with limits—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. These limits are designed to give a self-check on ungodly patterns of living. Any over-indulgence is a distortion of God’s good gifts of pleasure and can result in sin. Making money, sexual contact, relational connection, sports, vacations, recreation, alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, etc., in their proper context can be spiritually healthy and a blessing to yourself and others. Lack of self-control in those areas leads to spiritual sickness, damaging yourself and others. Self-indulgence is slavery to yourself rather than slavery to your Savior—one is obedience leading to death, the other is obedience leading to life(Rom. 6:15-23). Self-indulgence is self-worship, as your greatest ‘worth’ is your fleshly pleasure in the moment. Lacking restraint leads to regret, guilt, self-loathing, debt, and death(Prov. 16:32; 25:28).

God built humanity with limits—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. These limits are designed to give a self-check on ungodly patterns of living. Any over-indulgence is a distortion of God’s good gifts of pleasure and can result in sin. Making money, sexual contact, relational connection, sports, vacations, recreation, alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, etc., in their proper context can be spiritually healthy and a blessing to yourself and others. Lack of self-control in those areas leads to spiritual sickness, damaging yourself and others. Self-indulgence is slavery to yourself rather than slavery to your Savior—one is obedience leading to death, the other is obedience leading to life(Rom. 6:15-23). Self-indulgence is self-worship, as your greatest ‘worth’ is your fleshly pleasure in the moment. Lacking restraint leads to regret, guilt, self-loathing, debt, and death(Prov. 16:32; 25:28).

At the beginning, God instilled in humanity the recognition and need for reverence and respect—for God, other people, and all of creation (Gen. 1:26; Heb. 12:28; Rev. 11:18). As humans are the only creatures capable of giving and receiving reverence, they are also the only ones capable of dishonor and disrespect. Disrespect happens when people ignore God’s authority structure and insult God’s agent. God hates disrespect, as rebellion against authority is ultimately rebellion against Him(Rom. 13:1-7). Disrespect in word, action, or attitude arises from an arrogant, prideful heart—often displayed in self-justifying or blaming others for personal failure. Disagreement with authority should never lead to disrespect of it. Being unsubmissive or unteachable leads to disrespect, which incurs God’s anger. Reverence leads to being respected, honored, and promoted, but disrespect leads to hatred, unemployment, and death.

At the beginning, God instilled in humanity the recognition and need for reverence and respect—for God, other people, and all of creation (Gen. 1:26; Heb. 12:28; Rev. 11:18). As humans are the only creatures capable of giving and receiving reverence, they are also the only ones capable of dishonor and disrespect. Disrespect happens when people ignore God’s authority structure and insult God’s agent. God hates disrespect, as rebellion against authority is ultimately rebellion against Him(Rom. 13:1-7). Disrespect in word, action, or attitude arises from an arrogant, prideful heart—often displayed in self-justifying or blaming others for personal failure. Disagreement with authority should never lead to disrespect of it. Being unsubmissive or unteachable leads to disrespect, which incurs God’s anger. Reverence leads to being respected, honored, and promoted, but disrespect leads to hatred, unemployment, and death.

Because humans are made in God’s image, they have the ability to make moral decisions about what they believe is right for them. As we are built to live in concert with God’s will, any choice against that is a result of pride (Gen. 3:5, 4:7). Pride is a spiritual disposition, either in thought or deed, that exalts a distorted view of personal worth or authority (Dan. 4:28-34).We are born with a need to control and also the arrogance and pride to continue, even when what we do doesn’t work(Eph. 2:3). The problem is, many people believe in God by profession, but then live their lives as atheists in practice.There is no room for God in a heart that is full of itself (Ps. 10:3, 4; Prov. 25:27)! Ironically, self-exaltation results in humbling, while humility results in being exalted (Prov. 16:18; 27:2; Luke 14:11; 2 Cor. 10:18; 1 Pet. 5:5, 6). Pride says, ‘I will do what I will’, humility says ‘I will do what God wills’.