Wise Conduct When Things Go Wrong

Introduction:

Proverbs is both theological and practical.

These are often thought of as mutually exclusive, but they are not.

Both must hold our interest, for the foundation of how we see the world and live in it must be God’s own person.

We might be cautious about detaching this advice from theological study. At the heart of this conversation is the person of God.

To be in possession of God’s wisdom means to trust him, to love him, even above ourselves, and to act in accordance with his own character and attitude.

How does this become relevant to the world we live in.

We do not reshape the world.

We live in the world.

We must know what to expect from the world.

Disappointment.

Joy

Problems of our own making.

Problems of others’ making

Both.

Bad Outcomes from Good Intentions

We should first give some thought to what is happening in this scenario.

The text will play upon the words surety, pledge, and hand.

They overlap in meaning, especially in the second line of Prov. 6:1.

There the idea of “pledging” is to clasp the hand.

Note Prov. 6:3: “for you have come into the hand of your neighbor.”

Prov. 6:5: the hand of the hunter and hand of the fowler.

Prov. 6:10: folding the hands to rest.

The situation present in Prov. 6:1 seems well-intentioned.

The warning does not become against serving as surety, per se.

Given their parallel relationship, neighbor and stranger might best be seen to overlap.

The point is that surety is put up for someone, a pledge is made for someone closeby, who, it turns out, you do not really have much of an acquaintance for.

Because we live in a fallen world, everything does not always turn out well in the end.

The text does not warn against entering into a cosigning relationship.

Instead, it teaches how to conduct ourselves if/when it goes in the worst possible way.

Someone else’s failure to pay has become a personal issue because your word and money are on the line.

The irony also is present of one’s words becoming not a snare to someone else, but now, they have ensnared the very individual who uttered them.

Humility: How We Should Respond

What might be most fascinating about this section is what is absent.

No bitterness

No resentment

No victimhood.

Clearly, this less than ideal situation has created a situation whereby we are caught by our own pledges.

We’ve ensnared ourselves.

We probably should also consider the important implications here for what we expect to be possible in this world.

We can have the best of intentions (see point one) and things still go wrong.

Saving one’s self in Prov. 6:3 is stated because of the real world implications.

Reputation and financial well-being are now on the line. In Prov. 6:3, there is a very vivid picture for how to conduct one’s self in this situation.

The verb translated “hasten” in the ESV has the meaning given in the KJV. In the Hithpael, the verb means to “trample one’s self,” hence be humble, lower yourself.

Humility and diligence, a sense of urgency are enjoined, and they have similarities and contrasts to the illustration of the ant which follows. These are all connected.

Urgency Enjoined and Illustrated

Note the similarities in language between Prov. 6:4 and those from Prov. 6:6-11.

Action needs to be taken to prevent the destruction of your reputation and your financial well-being.

We have given our word.

We must be humble.

We must act/work.

We must admit the reality of the situation. We put ourselves this position.

The ant serves as the example of:

Urgency

Hard work

2 Thess. 3:6-13 gives us an example of work.

How one conducts one’s life is with honesty, trustworthiness, taking responsibility, and hard work.

Work is part of pre-fall existence.

Eccl. 3:22 “So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?”

Conclusion

Just as others may ensare us with their words, we may find ourselves ensnared by our own words.

We should be humble.

We should act urgently.