Location and TimesZechariah 8:17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.
How often do God’s people imagine evil against their neighbors? We allow evil thoughts that would harm their testimony. We think things that would be embarrassing if they but knew.
Sometimes we think of ways to hurt others. We feel that we have the right to get even because of some hurt that we feel that they have caused us.
Yet here we find that God hates this attitude. God does not want me thinking evil things about others. He does not want me to plan how to hurt others or do them harm.
As His people we are not to take advantage of others. God has other desires for the way we think.
I also fear that if we took this verse to the fullest we would not only not think evil but we would rather think good. That might mean that we would want to share the gospel with them. That might mean that we would devise or imagine ways to be a blessing to others.
What better way than to take the gospel to them! Let’s think of how we can share His love with others!