Proverbs 12:5-7
The plans of the righteous are just;
the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.
The words of the wicked lie in wait to shed innocent blood,
but the words of the upright will deliver them.
The wicked are overthrown and perish,
but the righteous household will stand.
The plans and words and counsel of the wicked are all a trap. Their motives and their goal is to trap you, to catch you in something so that they can have power over you. Their ultimate goal is to gain as much control and power as possible for themselves. They think that this is the way to get what they want in life. They think that by doing this they will have enough people who owe them, they’ll have enough dirt on someone that they can get almost anyone to do what they want.
Their words are traps, their plans are traps. But there is a way out.
Obviously the first way to stay out of their grasp is to remain truthful from the beginning. Don’t let their strong personality and overbearing attitude pressure you into a place where you feel like you have to give in to their demands. Trust me, there is nothing to them beyond this intimidation. They don’t really have the power, authority or influence they claim to have. Whatever pain and suffering they may be able to bring on you will be short-lived. Their power is based on what they are able to acquire within their own abilities. The Proverbious person relies on a power much greater and has the backing of kingdom much higher than the wicked person.
The second way to avoid their traps is to avoid being in their presence. They are not worth your time. If their motives are to bring you down so they can control you, it would be best to stay away from them.
The third way to avoid their traps is to be bold in the tough times. Picture their traps as a courtroom. They are trying to pressure you to say something you don’t mean or don’t want to say. Be bold in the truth and strong in your resolve to speak only words of wisdom.
The last way I can see to avoid their traps is to be silent. This will drive them nuts. They will even acuse you of guilt because you’re not saying anything. But your silence may be the thing that delivers you.
In the end, they will trap themselves. They will weave a web of deceit so dense and so thick that they themselves will eventually be caught in it. When someone is building a kingdom for themselves, even if they succeed at building a great kingdom, it will be so small in comparison to God’s kingdom. But, at best when they succeed at building a big Kingdom of Me, it will get out of their control. Someone always comes along to ruin it.
Instead, seek first His Kingdom. There are not traps there – only freedom.
