Proverbs 6:12-15 NIV says this:

¹² A troublemaker and a villain,
who goes about with a corrupt mouth,
¹³ who winks maliciously with his eye,
signals with his feet
and motions with his fingers,
¹⁴ who plots evil with deceit in his heart—
he always stirs up conflict.
¹⁵ Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;
he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

In tough times, we are often frustrated. We can’t accomplish our goals and don’t understand why. We have familiar struggles, as we face systems that don’t seem to favor us. And suddenly we have new, worsening struggles. It makes no sense.

In polarized times, we spend a lot of time fuming at our enemies. They are easy scapegoats for our problems. I could get ahead if it wasn’t for my neighbor, my brother, my supervisor on the job, or an enemy I don’t personally know but see on tv. I could get ahead if it wasn’t for my people who perish for lack of knowledge.

This is where the troublemaker is especially dangerous.

With his corrupt mouth, he tells you seductive lies. He gives you simple answers to complex problems that often villainize others while pretending to sympathize with you. But he’s exploiting you every step of the way. He has stolen a billion dollars, given you a ten, and told you to get a load of the guy who has twenty. So he soothes a real pain with a false solution. He persuades you that your problems are neither your responsibility, nor the result of a complex system of which he may well be a part. He is pulling strings like a puppet master. And he is putting weapons in your hand that he may then use to harm you and your enemy both. He offers you nothing but bondage and loss.

With his malicious wink, foot signals, and finger motions, he communicates with the crew he has assembled to con you. This man is scheming. He is sending secret messages to his cronies to do things to you. You are being manipulated and robbed. You are also being mocked. It is sleight of hand that ridicules you in front of an audience. He does not have your interest at heart, and never did. He is trolling, and his fans are laughing at you.

We need to pay careful attention to people who invite us to be furious at people we weren’t even thinking about.

We need to interrogate the stories that give us new wounds the storytellers then claim to heal.

The person who puts their arm around you and says “I don’t care what they say about you; I think you’re great!” is not helping you.

At best they are insecure about their standing with you. They are trying to make others look bad, and themselves look better.

At worst they are selling you something you’ll be paying for forever.

A friend of mine, when addressing troubling perspectives, will often say “consider the source.”

The troublemaker plots evil. His heart is dishonest. He’s looking to profit off your pain. And he’s willing to inflict new pain to do it.

The good news is that he doesn’t win.

The proverb reminds us that schemers go from heroes to zeroes, often quickly, and decisively.

One day, they are threatening to take over the world.

The next day they are out of office, out of money, out of a job, or out of your friend group.

One moment Thanos is inevitable.

The next minute he’s dust.

Crimes come with penalties. Whatever a person sows they will reap.

Here’s the catch: A lot of time passes between sowing and reaping.

Villains can do a lot of damage before they get caught.

Tyrants can harm many people before they are deposed.

Our job is to stay out of their way until they do.

We can look back on a cult movement and say everyone should have realized those people were deceived.

If, however, we drank the Kool Aid, we might not be around to look back.

So choose your drink wisely.

And pay attention to who’s pouring.

(Photo Credit: Anna Larazevich)

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