Proverbs 24:8. Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer.
The schemer isn’t stupid. The schemer isn’t impulsive. The schemer is often highly intelligent and takes their time to plan the evil they will do, big or small. The terrorist planning an attack over several years. The thief planning a heist. The liar rehearsing their version of the truth before they tell it. The cheater copying down answers to the test before the test. The bully picking their next target. The porn watcher who works to be alone. The seductress. The rebel. The gossip. These are the schemers.
The schemer is not the sinner who happens to mess up every once in a while. This sinner is obsessed with their sin. In fact, we might say that they are addicted to their sin. With each incident the pleasure diminishes, therefore, the schemer must invent new ways to sin and regain that feeling of power or excitement.
Of course, eventually no one wants to be around the schemer – [they] will be called a schemer. Because their propensity toward wickedness grows and grows, eventually they have hurt everyone around them. They now carry a warning label with them.
Beware: Schemer Alert!
Are you a schemer? We’ve all been schemers. We’ve all planned out our sin. We’ve all tried to not get caught at something wrong. We’ve all withheld information for our own good. Why are we all such good schemers? Because we are all naturally children of the Devil, the greatest schemer of them all. Satan has been planning how to destroy your life for a very long time. He desperately wants to take you down. He is brazenly against you and the Christ in you. But though he is insane, he’s not stupid. Although he’s desperate, he’s patient and never impulsive. He’s a schemer.
Ephesians 6:11. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
In Christ, there is a defense against the schemes of the Devil – the armor of God. Breastplate of righteousness. Shoes of peace. Belt of truth. Shield of faith. Helmet of salvation. Sword of the Spirit. In Christ, we can put on his very own character. His righteousness. His peace. His truth. His salvation. His faithfulness. Even his Spirit, the Holy Spirit.
When we know that we have everything that Jesus has, we no longer have to scheme to get our way, to get ahead, to be noticed, to gain control. With Jesus there’s no possible way to have more power, more peace, more control, more satisfaction. Satan’s scheme is to cause you to believe THE lie. The lie that tells you that God is holding out on you and there is more to be gained.
He’s not, and there’s not.
So let’s move from scheming to trusting today. Let’s plan ways to do good, rather than ways to self-promote and self-justify. Let’s allow the Spirit to lead us in the way of Christ, rather than letting our own fleshly desires lead the way. Above all, let’s plan to live is Christ.
You: What version of THE lie has got you scheming?
You in Christ: How does our union with Christ keep us from feeling like we have to scheme to get ahead?
Christ in you: How can you purposefully move from scheming to trusting today?
Pray: Father, help me to see and resist the schemes of Satan by trusting in my union with Christ. Amen.
To Live is Christ 