Psalm 73:7 English Standard Version (ESV) Their eyes swell out through fatness; their hearts overflow with follies.

We all want to be accepted. The question is where are we seeking acceptance?

Pride gathers together to celebrate acceptance with each other. The more people that tell them that they right in how they live, they are being validated by themselves. Likeminded people will always accept themselves.

They do not consider the condition of their hearts, folly rules.

Folly is the arena of failed attitudes and actions. That is a biblical concept because the bible is given to identify God in character and quality. We were created in His image. They have turned life into being gods unto themselves. They deny God’s identity, His creative rights, and reject the hand of grace extended to pull them out of their folly.

There is no sin in their eyes if they can be accepted by enough likeminded people.

Where does it stop?

Who is the next large group seeking acceptance by themselves?

There is a large group of likeminded thinkers that say it is right to kill if anyone does not agree with them.

Now murder is right in their eyes.

If we have sought to be accepted by God it is found in what God has done and not in how we behave.

Now we must look around and ask ourselves what we might be doing to accept others into our numbers to make ourselves feel accepted by society.

This life in Christ is not a numbers game. It is a life of faith for each of us as individuals that have been accepted by God and do not allow others to draw us into being accepted by the crowd.

Psalm 73:6 English Standard Version (ESV) Therefore pride is their necklace; violence covers them as a garment.

Thugs and thieves come to mind first when I read this passage. I don’t understand the emotional connection with being proud to be a thug or a thief, but others do.

Watching rioters looting stores is often taped and shown on the news. Some wear masks, others do not. I don’t understand it. I don’t have to understand to believe it happens. Is it possible that I do not want to understand?

Empathy is born out of experience because we have been there, done that. For many of us we have never participated in riots and looting. Those emotions are not part of our life.

One of the reasons we might not minister to thugs and thieves could be a lack of understanding of the emotions in having lived that lifestyle. It feels like preaching in hell. Those in hell are forever lost and beyond redemption.

Do we judge them as being unworthy of receiving the gospel?

God does not.

Our neglect in spreading the good news everywhere might be an emotional judgment. We want to “feel it”. Having a passion for doing something will allow us to overcome personal judgments.

Some describe it as “a calling”. What Christ is doing in our hearts should be a clear sign of His will to use us to serve His purpose. This reminds me of the scriptures about two attitudes. One says “I will” and then does not go. The second says “I will not” and then goes.

Those are emotional responses. The spirit does not lead by emotion, He leads us by the condition of our hearts. The seat of decisions in us is the heart that has been changed to respond to His will according to the Spirit, not our emotions.

The love of God in us is not an emotion, it is our life.

Christ said “I have given you life.” Now it is up to us to live that life.