My feels are rollin’ this morning. And my mind is hopping all over the place. The first part of this passage reminds me of the feeling of “getting away with something.” Have you ever had that feeling? Like, once in my 20s I was going to put a $70 rug on layaway at Walmart because I wanted it really badly. But on my way to the layaway counter, I found an open window to escape with the rug unpaid for. Yep, I stole it. And I thought at that time I’d really gotten away with something. But that dang rug not only laid heavy on my floor for many years, it weighed heavy on my heart, too. And nearly 20 years after I’d walked out that door, I sent Walmart a check for $70 and a note apologizing for what my dumb young self had done. Sometimes, it takes 20 years, folks. And I think David is saying just that in this chapter. We can think for a long, long time that God is not watching or seeing what we are doing, but He is watching and waiting for the right moment to humble us in our greedy confidences.
Here’s the other thing that is on my mind today, and I’m not sure this Scripture is about this, but Imma write about it anyway because this is a Bible study for writers, and I can. So, yesterday, someone sent me an off-color joke about COVID-19. It came through a private message of someone I trusted, so I read it and went on with my life, but I guess I didn’t because I’m still thinking about it this morning. I won’t repeat the joke, but it had to do with the theory of where the virus originated, and it made me think of something I have thought of before but never put out there for the world to critique, but what about that guy/girl who may have started the virus? Have you ever thought about that person? Have you ever thought that if this theory of the virus starting in a lab or a market or by one single human being is true, “What about that person?” Can you imagine being that person? If the theory is true, and the virus started from a person, that person is human. Now, imagine if you were that person … and you made that mistake. Do you really think another person … a human person … would feel any less remorseful than you would? The jokes aren’t funny when you’re the person.
Sum it up:
Lord, why do you feel so far away sometimes?
You hide when I need you most,
When I am surrounded by horrible people.
The greedy and evil brag about the terrible things they do.
They think they’ve gotten away with murder,
But I know that’s not true.
I know You are just waiting
To humble them and to give the oppressed
Their day in the sunshine.
Writing prompt: be the person
Write about being the bad guy today.
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