Posted on 02/28/2020 5:14:44 AM PST by Pilgrim's Progress
“He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue. Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer. He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat. He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered. He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase” (Proverbs 28:23-28).
After a man has sinned, if you rebuke, afterward you will find favor. If a man receives and accepts that rebuke, you'll find favor with that man, and that man will appreciate you more than someone that flatters him, when he knows he deserves it. That goes back to verse 4, where “they that forsake the law praise the wicked,” You know when those salesmen are just patting you on the back to make a kill, that's all they are doing, and you know that. You don't appreciate that. What you really appreciate is somebody telling you the truth, to help you out.
“Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.”
There is a New Testament example of this, where they Pharisees had the thing rigged where a boy could bring a gift to the temple; and where he should have been taking care of his mother and father, he could bring money to the priest and he would absolve him of the responsibility.
“For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death. But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition” (Matthew 15:4-6).
Of course, the priest would also get a cut, and the kid would get some; and that way the kid didn't have to take care of the parents, like he was supposed to do. and he would get out of that responsibility; so, he would rob his father and mother was doing.
The Bible says to honor your parents. To honor them means to take care of them when they are old and they can’t take care of themselves, but the Pharisees had come up with a deal where they didn't have to do it.
“He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife,” here again, this is the person that starts trouble, “but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made fat.”
“He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool,” notice the contrast, “trust in the Lord,” made fat; “trusteth in his own heart,” a fool. There's a good contrast there. Don’t trust what you think! You and I, we’re fools if we do that.
“. . . but whoso walketh wisely,” trust in the Lord, “shall be delivered.”
“He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack,” that matches Proverbs 11:24 where it says that “there is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”
Give to the poor, and you will not lack; but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse. This is another example of reaping and sowing.
“When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.”
This is a restatement of verse 12 and is like verse 15.
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Once after a not particularly good Toastmaster meeting, one of the respected older gentlemen stood up and said, “Gentlemen, we can do better than this.”
We all knew what he meant, and each reviewed his particular need of improvement. Meetings went much better from then on.
A few thoughts:
1) if it is today, someone would be offended for a number of perceived reasons.
2) if one of the non respecter members had said it what would our response have been?
3) This is one of the best examples of “judge not, lest you be judged.” Hold your self to high standards and hold others.
I belonged to the last all mens club in the USA. I cherish it.
So.................................
I would encourage others to use this simple, encouraging rebuke more often in our lives. You will get some interesting responses that will reveal.
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