PROFITING FROM PROVERBS

“He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure” (Proverbs 11:15 KJV).

They used to say when someone got hurt, “Wow! That smarts!” That’s where that expression comes from, the King James Bible. “Suretiship” is guaranteeing against loss. Webster’s 1828 says, SU'RETISHIP, n. [from surety.] The state of being surety; the obligation of a person to answer for another, and make good any debt or loss which may occur from another's delinquency.

Any kind of insurance is a guarantee against loss. The verse before us here is speaking of a stranger. In chapter six, a friend is considered. “My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth” (Proverbs 6:1-2 KJV).

That is like co-signing for a note—you guarantee that if the borrower fails to pay—you will pay it. You are putting yourself under an obligation that you may well smart for it. You may have the right attitude, you may want to do something for the Lord, but from a human standpoint, if you lose you are the one that signed the statement. Rejoice in the Lord ever more, and everything works together for good, but you learned—the hard way—but that’s the way it is. There is no more difficult situation you can get into than to work with other people where money is involved. Especially among Christians that are friends. If you want to lose friends fast, get into money situations with them. That is probably the best way to lose your friends.

“He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it,” a stranger has nothing to lose, he can just walk out on you, and you’ll end up paying the bill. “: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.” The best way to do it is just don’t do it.

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.

If anyone would like to be added to the ping list, please let me know either by post or by p.m.

For more books on all topics of the Bible, visit my web site at:

BAPTIST BIBLE BELIEVERS WEBSITE

BEGGARS AT A CAMP MEETING - KING JAMES BIBLE PREACHIN'

TITANIC

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.