Posted on 03/17/2021 11:41:26 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him” (Proverbs 18:17).
“. . . but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.” There is something that is reasonable. If someone comes to you with a horror story about what brother or sister So and So did. If it is a necessary scenario of telling, and not just talebearing and not just gossiping; if it is an issue of someone bringing something necessary to you to talk to you about. Do you know what is reasonable? It is reasonable for you to ask questions to make sure that that person has their facts straight and that they are not embellishing the story as he sees it.
“. . . but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him.” Preachers deal with this all the time. Somebody comes to them and tells their sad story. They all have these very heartrending, tear-jerking stories about all they have been through and why that church should give them $300 to finish out their rent this month, even though the pastor does not know them, and they have never been to a service before. So, he asks some questions. “Do you have a job?” “No.” “Why haven't you ever been to church here if you thought you could come here and get money?” “Oh Well, . . . uh . . . You know . . .” and their tale starts falling apart. Right? Now, the point is that if you're not careful, everybody knows today how to jerk you around to get your sympathy; but it is not about sympathy.
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.”
It is reasonable for someone to be asked questions about the story they are telling. “My boss hates me, and he fired me for no reason!” “What were you doing when you got fired? How many warnings were you given? Were you always on time? Did you have a record of showing up late?” Do you know what usually happens? You usually find out, and it is a sad thing to say; but you usually find out that the guy was not being forthcoming to say the least.
Most of us have learned that in some measure with our kids. It is just not that hard for brother or sister to embellish things just a little bit to make their sister or their brother look really bad to you. So, they come to you with their tales, and it is fair for you to ask some insightful questions. Right?
“The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out” (Proverbs 28:11).
We recently had a president of the United States who was not searched out at all. Apparently, nobody was even interested in checking his birth certificate. Nobody checked him out. He did not go through what a Reagan would have gone through in these days, as far as the press going into his life finding out what he really was, what he really believed, and all that. Prior to that, we had another “Democratic” president who’s most searching question was whether he wore boxers or briefs. We have people sitting in the highest office in our land that was not searched out. Of course, if that man happens to be a solid conservative nominated for the Supreme court, they will pay for any little bit of negative information they can find. If they cannot find any, they will find a college professor to make something up. Our country has come a long way from the biblical precepts that were held sacred by our founding fathers.
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