CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 763

“CRAFTINESS”

Job 5:12 (ESV) He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.

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In the Road Runner cartoons, Wile E. Coyote is the epitome of craftiness as he attempts to capture the Road Runner.  While humorous and entertaining as a cartoon, such wiliness in people is far less of a laughing matter.

By definition, a crafty person’s character is notably skilled in or marked by underhandedness, deviousness, or deception.  Such people manipulate others for their own personal gain.  This is the way of the world and it must not be the way of Christians in this world.

In political circles it is common practice to put deceptive ‘spin’ on a topic to avoid dealing with the issue directly or to show it in an artificially positive light.  We see craftiness at work in the political mudslinging sound bites prevalent during an election year.  We should expect that a political candidate for office that proclaims to be a Christian would not exhibit a wily, crafty character.  If you are a Christian seeking political office place your trust in God and not in worldly methods of manipulation in order to win the election.

Power and might are in your hand, and it is at your discretion that people are made great and given strength. – 1 Chronicles 29:12

When shopping for a home, car, or other major purchase, do you find that you are on guard against the craftiness of the salesperson?  Lies can be as much about what is not revealed as to what is spoken of falsely.  A Christian in a commissioned sales job must always be on guard against the temptation to close the deal by compromising and manipulating the truth.

…the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning… But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning…2 Corinthians 11:3 & 4:2

Craftiness has permeated many church denominations causing the gospel truths of the Bible to be watered down and spin doctored to create mass appeal in an attempt to increase numbers and to improve the ‘business bottom line’ of the church.  It behooves all Christians to study the Word and seek discernment such that they will not become victimized by false doctrine.

…so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. – Ephesians 4:14

In all relational aspects of our lives, as Christians we must avoid resorting to craftiness in order to achieve particular desired results.  Whether we are in a courting or marital relationship, parenting, teaching, selling, supervising, or managing others, our character must be defined by the integrity and truth of the abiding presence of the living Word of God in our hearts.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & dedication of your work to the glory of God.