Proverbs 3:29
|
Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.
|
Those closest to you deserve the most from you. Yet men often treat family or friends more harshly than strangers. The more people trust you, the more you owe them. The more vulnerable a person becomes to you, the greater obligation you have to honor and protect him. You know more about your neighbors than others in your life, but this privilege brings the duty to protect rather than an opportunity to defraud. Beware!
Who is your neighbor? While lawyers quibble about words and wish to reduce this noun to a few friends (Luke 10:25-29), Solomon's son Jesus Christ expanded it to anyone God places in your life (Luke 10:30-37). It includes your parents or a spouse to colleagues at work or a stranger you happen to sit beside on an airplane or bus. Of course, it also includes those who live next door, but it includes many more than them as well.
It is easy to discover the assets, faults, habits, and weaknesses of those closest to you. Your proximity to their activities and their trust in you combine to make them vulnerable to any lust on your part. God and Solomon, knowing this reality of relationships, warned against any wicked ambitions or defrauding by this advantage. Godly men are scrupulously honest with neighbors, and they are exceptionally protective of them.
Cain slew his trusting brother. Jacob's sons deceived and murdered Shechem, and then they sold Joseph into slavery. King Saul tried to murder David as he played for him. Joab slew the trusting Abner and Amasa. Judas knew the Lord's habits, and he used them to earn a few coins by betraying Him to a murderous mob. The sin of this proverb is the cruelest form of personal malice (Ps 41:9; 55:12-15; Matt 26:46-50; John 13:21).
Do you exploit or protect knowledge of colleagues at work? Does the nearness of your neighbor's wife make him more or less vulnerable to you? Do you exploit or protect gullible classmates? Can any sitting near you anywhere trust you with their belongings?
The crime can be found at home. Abuse or neglect of spouses is treachery, for marriage exposes all to another (Mal 2:10-16). Never compare your wife to another woman! Never defraud or demean the man in your bed! The private events of a family at home should never be shared outside the home, for family members assume they are secure at home.
Do church members know they can trust you with the most intimate details of their lives? Or do they know your vile heart would be tempted to exploit their weakness for your own advantage or to share it with others? Let this proverb crush you! Learn godliness today!
www.letgodbetrue.com
