Love Thy Neighbor
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Handout
Love Thy Neighbor
Love Thy Neighbor
21 My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion,
22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.
24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.
30 Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence.
A Familiar Plea
21 My son, do not lose sight of these— keep sound wisdom and discretion,
Comes with a promise...
Promise of peace (salome)
2 for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.
Peace = salome
Peace & Prosperity
Wholeness, health, harmony
Completeness in life
verses 22-26 = further explanation of the promise of SALOME
22 and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck.
23 Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble.
24 If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes,
26 for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.
benefits:
life
safety
peaceful sleep
confidence in the future
avoidance of traps
“When it comes”
This is a fallen world
Don’t fear the ruin (traps) of the wicked … WHEN IT COMES.
Why?
“For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.”
(to summerize this promise of Salome)
When you walk in the ways of God you find peace that can only come from Him.
How do you walk in the ways of God?!!!!
3 examples
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.
“Those whom it is due” = owner
Do not withhold good from it’s owners.
When you have a debt to pay, that debt does not belong to you!
An example of this relationship between Employee and Employer.
13 “You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning.
This proverb expounds on that same principle.
When you owe someone - it is not yours to keep!!!
Sometimes examples are made from extreme and to me this true story is kind of extreme … but makes a great example.
Son hits our civic.
Son didn’t have license (and fled the scene)
We offer to let father pay out of pocket
Go get estimate.
After agreeing, Father tries EVERYTHING to get out of paying.
He even said, I should just go ahead and buy the car from you.
It’s not for sale. I drive this car to work.
Beyond witholding good from your neighbor, the next proverbs is about plotting harm against them...
29 Do not plan evil against your neighbor, who dwells trustingly beside you.
30 Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
There may be several reasons why you would plot evil against you neighbor
Envy, vengeance, spite (conflict)
It’s easier to justify plotting things against those who “deserve” it.
verse 30 seems to justify that, “...when he has done you no wrong.”
This instruction is really about how you treat your neighbors...
“Do not plan evil...”
Plan = plow (as in a plowing a field”
Careful & skillful work done for a specific purpose.
How easy it is to be impressed by those who have been shrewd enough to “get everything out of life.”
31 Do not envy a man of violence and do not choose any of his ways,
32 for the devious person is an abomination to the Lord, but the upright are in his confidence.
The devious person is an abomination.
In Christian circles:
We reserve that word for serious “moral” sin.
The devious person is an abomination.
BUT...
The upright are in HIs confidence.
God has His own reasons for giving to some
and none of it is a cause for envy.
Either the person is blessed by God (his prerogative)
Or the person has gain from ways that make him an abomination.
Summary:
You remember the car-guy I just told you about.
Right toward the end when I was at his house.
He tried to put it off again. He accused us of trying to profit off the ordeal.
I said, we are a Christian family, we don’t do that.
He actually said to me, we are Christians too.
Can you imagine how many times this man has mis-represented God name by his actions.
So I’m telling all of you, this morning.
People are watching.
Don’t be that guy!