Fair and just

Proverbs 21:2
2 People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.

Matthew Henry writes, “Note, 1. We are all apt to be partial in judging of ourselves and our own actions, and to think too favourably of our own character, as if there was nothing amiss in it: Every way of a man, even his by-way, is right in his own eyes. The proud heart is very ingenious in putting a fair face upon a foul matter, and in making that appear right to itself which is far from being so, to stop the mouth of conscience. 2. We are sure that the judgment of God concerning us is according to truth. Whatever our judgment is concerning ourselves, the Lord ponders the heart. God looks at the heart, and judges of men according to that, of their actions according to their principles and intentions; and his judgment of that is as exact as ours is of that which we ponder most, and more so; he weighs it in an unerring balance, ch. 16:2 (All the ways of a man [are] clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.)”


First I want to make a confession about myself. There are many times I make statements which I truly believe, but it does not make them right. I know I have been guilty of thinking I know the facts, thinking I know the truth, and thinking I have the right understanding only later to be convicted I was slanted or wrong in my thoughts. Sometimes it is a friend who gives reproof and I see my error. Often it is God who convicts my heart there are other ways to see and view the truth. God is the one who examines the hearts of people and He alone knows what is right. I need to listen more to God and listen less to myself.

With that said I want to share a quote I read yesterday that said, “Those who try to enforce tolerance upon others need to be careful or they themselves will be found intolerant.” I find that often to be true. People try to make something so right they go beyond what is right and make their objective wrong. I have seen it happen in racial issues where one group says things should be this way to be fair, but then they go on to establish benefits slanted towards their own desires. We all need to stop trying to figure out what is right and fair for us and instead determine what God believes is just and fair for all.