“Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?” (Proverbs 20:6).
A common characteristic of humans is the inability to honestly and accurately engage in self-evaluation. In addition, human males have a recurring bad habit of tending to overestimate themselves. Like Peter in the Upper Room, human males rarely lack for an inflated amount of self-confidence (see Mark 14:29-31).
As noted in a previous blog (on April 23), the Hebrew word hesed (translated here as “goodness”) is difficult, if not impossible, to precisely convey its full meaning into just one English word or phrase. Its constellation of possible translations include: “integrity”, “steadfast, unwavering loyalty”, “lovingkindness”, “mercy”, and “goodness”.
Because of our human condition, it is far easier for man to proclaim his possession of such significant character traits than it is to actually possess and live by them. Being a person of integrity, tenacious loyalty, lovingkindness, mercy, and goodness is much easier to believe you have and boast of possessing than it is to have.
It is easier said than done.
