At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16: 11)
An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
Proverbs 21:4
This proverb cuts to the heart of all ethical evaluations. The rightness or wrongness of any particular act cannot really be measured from the outside in. In other words, an action might be innocent in itself, that is to say, unobjectionable as a discrete action, and yet be evil for two reasons—because of its context and because of its intent.
This proverb is talking about intent, as identified by the first half of the proverb. A high or haughty look demonstrates a snooty or supercilious spirit, and a proud heart is, well, proud. Arrogant. Conceited. Puffed up. These attitudes contaminate an otherwise unobjectionable action, which would be the plowing. Plowing in itself is good, honest work, and it is commended in Scripture over against sleeping in, or watching television all day.
But when someone plows all day because of envious competition with an older brother, or because a lust for riches has him by the throat, or because the owner of the field left the country for a couple of years and his neighbor thought to steal a crop or two from him, then the intent is all wrong, and contaminates this otherwise honest work.
The last example shows how bad intent can drive otherwise honest work into the context of sin. Because his intent was to get the produce off land that was not his, he wound up stealing from his neighbor.
High morale for a crew is a good thing in itself, but not on a pirate ship. Skilled seamanship is a good thing, not with a pirate crew. Dauntless courage is a good thing, but not when you are a pirate.
And a moment’s reflection should reveal that the only thing that can drive good actions into bad contexts would be the self-willed nature of sin and pride.
