A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers. (Proverbs 6:12-13)
The Bible talks about the wicked person many times, but can you recognize a wicked person in front of you? How does the Bible describe a wicked person?
Proverbs gives us a lot of material to help us understand and discern when a wicked person is in our midst. Not only are their actions and speech specifically perverse, not only do they use the Lord’s name in vain and use curse words in their speech, but the most telling quality of a wicked person is that how they live. They never edify or uplift others.
There are many people who claim to be Christian and can act very spiritual, but their lives show that they only care for themselves. They do whatever it takes to make themselves look good, even if it means destroying the reputation or opportunities of others. They will even use deception or destruction, regardless of how it affects other people.
Christians must be discerning when it comes to recognizing the wicked tendencies of the people around them. As the old idiom goes, “If someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” Scripture tells us we can tell what a tree is by the fruit it bears. If this person is always the victim, always against others, and you never hear an uplifting or encouraging word out of them, they have exposed the wickedness in their heart. People's actions and behavior are the most accurate indicators of their true character.
Practical Application
Before hiring an employee, before choosing friends, and especially before choosing who to date, examine the character of individuals. Are they uplifting, encouraging, and righteous in their speech and actions? Or do they display the traits of the wicked?