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.