Imagine sitting in a quiet room, trying to concentrate calmly on a laborious task. As you work your way through the undertaking, something catches your attention—a dripping faucet.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip.
The dripping was probably happening for quite some time, but now that it has been brought to your attention, the constant sound of the water hitting the bottom of the basin has stolen your focus. It disturbs you so much that you stop what you are doing to put an end to the source of your irritation.
Some things are like a dripping faucet—insignificant but relentlessly annoying. What starts as an unnoticed noise becomes impossible to ignore.
God has things that annoy him, too, though he is much more patient than us when it comes to responding to those things. They are mentioned specifically in Proverbs 6. Many of them are subtle things he does not like, just like a dripping faucet.
There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
Proverbs 6:16-19 (ESV)
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Why does the Lord hate these things? Not because they keep him from focusing on his work, but because they distract you from your God-given purpose.
God created you to love your neighbor.
God values truth and hates lies because his Word is truth.
God desires unity, not separation because his Son came to redeem a people from among the nations.
Today, look out for the Drip. Drip. Drip. Don’t ignore it. Ask the Lord to help you identify and correct the things that grieve him. What annoys God is what ultimately harms you.
Bee-Attitude
Blessed are those who do not do things that God hates, for they will walk with the Lord.
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
