Yet I want to improve. I am finding Proverbs to be an enlightening process. I have a quick temper, not improved by belonging to a very argumentative family where I feel I must defend myself.
Proverbs 9 helps me know my own weakness. I blush! I would like to follow this the best possible advice. Yet how many of us can hear criticism, accept it, learn from it and be grateful and wiser? A wise man uses rebuke to become wiser.
I will try! I fall very short.
Dear one,
We have heard:
- Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.-Psalms 107:17 NKJV
So were we not fools because of our transgressions, and because of our iniquities, we were afflicted ?
This is why we cried to the Lord, and the Lord saved us out of our distresses. We are glad that our dear Heavenly Father sent His word, that is, Christ — the grace of repentance, that we may be healed and delivered out of our destruction. So let us thank the Lord for the goodness of His steadfast love and praise His wonderful name.
So what have apostle Paul taught us :
- Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.-Romans 14:1 NKJV
Can we not dispute or argue ? Over doubtful things, we are encouraged not to dispute. Why ? This is what we have heard:
- Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. -2 Timothy 2:14 ESV
So when we dispute over doubtful things, it only ruins the hearers because we don’t build up our neighbors for his/her good in edification.
So when we consider the matter we dispute or argue, that is not doubtful. Can we dispute or argue ? We should carefully consider what our Lord has spoken in Matthew 18:15-20 and the parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:21-35, that we may gain wisdom.
Let us also consider what apostle Paul have said:
- One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. -Romans 14:2 NKJV
- Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. -Romans 14:3 NKJV
- Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. -Romans 14:4 NKJV
As apostle Paul relates to those who knew more as those eat, and those who knew less as those who don’t eat. This is how he describe how we are relate to those who are weak in faith, that we receive one another.
Yes, how wonderful grace of Christ toward us in loving kindness, even when we are weak in faith, that we are accepted in the beloved Christ.
As wisdom, we received:
- Be of the same mind toward one another (according to Christ). Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.-Romans 12:16 NKJV
To God be the glory. Amen.