Posted on 06/26/2021 11:59:02 PM PDT by Pilgrim's Progress
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:6).
A kid has to be careful about how he deals with things, but kids have a view of their parents that nobody else has as well. So, there comes a time when our kids are supposed to what his parents say, all that is true; but as you deal with your kids; parents, you just remember they have seen you in every possible situation that you allow yourself to be seen in. They have seen you at your best and they have seen you at your worst. They have seen you mad, and they have seen you hypocritical. They have seen you in a 1000 different ways and you are not going to put much over on them. Don’t think that you can be inconsistent and expect your son to be consistent. Expect him to be just like you. That should be a sobering thought for each of us.
A man is a fool to reject outright what his son sees in him. I am talking about a son that is grown to be a teenager. The son comes and talks to the dad about something, and the dad just puts him under his thumb, slaps him down, and says, “Shut your mouth! You are going to do what I say until you leave my house!” And I believe that largely that is legitimate up to a point, but the same time, dad, your son has seen you in every possible situation that somebody close to you can see you in. So, you'd be a fool to turn and walk completely away from a judgment that your son has perhaps drawn about you because he's watched you live. He's watched you be a hypocrite before. He's watched you mad. He's watched you happy. He's watched you when your defenses were down. Right?
“Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:5-6).
Verse 5 and 6 go together. “Open rebuke,” is like preaching. What good is secret love?
Somebody says, “Well, I just can't say anything to her; I just love her so much! You don’t love her. What good is it? What good was it for God to love the whole world and do nothing about it? I mean, the next time somebody gives you that business, take him to proverbs 27. Ask, “What good is secret love? It doesn’t do anybody any good. You don’t really love them.”
The Bible says, “He that loveth him [his child] chasteneth him betimes” (13:24). If you really loved them, you’d whip them.
“Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend,” like the Lord Jesus, like the preacher; they care for you, “but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” The enemy will flatter, kiss you, kiss your hand, kiss your feet; just to get the advantage of you. Jesus asked, “Judas, betrayest the son of man with a kiss?” (Matthew 22:48). Loving kisses!
In verse 6 the friend refers to Jesus, the kisses refer to Judas.
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:
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.