Posted on 02/18/2020 6:12:36 AM PST by Pilgrim's Progress
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him. The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the mighty. A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled” (Proverbs 18:17-20).
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just,” if you only listen to one side of the tale it’ll sound like one fellow got a bad deal, but when you take the time to listen to both sides you get a totally better and clearer understanding of what took place. “. . . but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.” Listen to both sides of any story before you make a decision.
“The lot causeth contentions to cease,” it solves the problem. Two or more sides want their idea to go through, so a vote is taken, and the majority of the people decide an issue. It doesn’t mean that all disagreements will cease, but the matter is decided in an orderly fashion.
“. . . and parteth between the mighty,” in other words, it separates the warring factions, and restores peace.
“The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33).
“A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city.” Once you offend a brother, to win him back is like attacking a strong city. He will have defenses up against you because of what you said or did to him.
“. . . and their contentions are like the bars of a castle,” his defenses are really hard to get into. They throw up that wall of defense against you and it is hard to speak to them, and hard to get them to listen. We are much better off never offending them in the first place.
Cain was offended by Abel’s offering. He never was won, and he ended up killing his brother.
“A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled” (Proverbs 18:20).
This is making a living by what a man says: counselors, lawyers, judges, preachers, teachers, that kind of thing. He fills his belly by the words of the mouth. It can also apply to a conman.
Daily Bible study is necessary if we are going to begin our day with the right attitude and the right spiritual diet. Proverbs has 31 chapters, and most months have 31 days, so let’s read a chapter of Proverbs a day and see what God might have for us. As the Lord leads, share with us what God has shown you in a special way and by His grace let us build up a devotional repository. Let’s keep our knives and forks handy for some daily bread! Ideally, a chapter or two of Proverbs will fit in nicely with a good plan of reading our Bibles through each year.
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