Proverbs 30:5-13

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes.

In an experiment, researchers fitted people with special prismatic glasses that made things appear upside down, straight lines appear curved, and sharp outlines seem fringed with color. Within just a few days the subjects reported that the unnatural shapes, tinted edges, and inverted landscapes gradually disappeared. The world began to appear normal again. Their brains had overcome false data coming through the lenses. This adaptability in the physical realm is a blessing.

Proverbs suggests, however, that the mind doesn’t function well in the spiritual realm. In fact, we are sinners whose deepest imaginations are evil. Our thought-life produces a world of illusions. We think of ourselves as pure, when we are guilty before God. That is why many people shift responsibility for their behavior on environment or to faulty upbringing. They fail to see their own rebellion and selfishness and imagine themselves to be innocent victims of circumstance. In this way, they justify thoughts, feelings, and actions that are obviously sinful. Their way is right I their own eyes.

As Christians, we should be aware of the deceptive nature of our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to correct our vision through knowledge of God’s Word.

Correct my vision, Father—Awry and warped by sin—That through Your Spirit’s blessing Your truth may shine again.