SHARING BREAD
6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not
throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet,
and then turn and tear you to pieces.”
Matt 7:6
(NIV)
Proverbs is filled with how a fool (dogs and pigs) meets
with the advice of wisdom - shedding more light on our Lord’s Words given in
our verses for today. A few are as
follows:
15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man
listens to advice. Prov 12:15 (NIV)
10 A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool. Prov 17:10 (NIV)
12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool
in his folly. Prov 17:12 (NIV)
2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights
in airing his own opinions. Prov 18:2
(NIV)
I am reminded of Jesus’ Words regarding the hypocritical
Pharisee’s reaction to His teaching:
12 Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you
know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?" 13 He replied, "Every plant
that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Leave them; they are blind guides. If a
blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit." Matt 15:12-14 (NIV)
Unfortunately, not everyone is fit to be reproved. Those who walk in the way of sinners and sit
in the seat of scorners despise instruction and will defy it. Who can help those who hate reproof – those who
continually sin against the Remedy? Who
shall heal and help those who staunchly refuse to be healed and helped? Jesus states we are to be zealous for God’s
Truth yet that zeal must be guided by discretion. We are not to go about giving precious instructions
and counsel to hardened scorners who seek with pleasure to both trample our
words and tear us to pieces. Good counsel
and reproof are sacred things and God’s ordinances are as pearls. Scripture
tells us a fool avoids wisdom and understanding – always, sadly, to his own
harm. The fool is his own worst enemy.
3 It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool
is quick to quarrel. Prov 20:3 (NIV)
9 Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom
of your words. Prov 23:9 (NIV)
Interestingly as well, as believers our lives are to manifest
a correction of the culture rather than to be a reflection of it. We earn the right to be heard by what we
do. When our spheres see a life that
talks like Christ yet walks no differently than they do there will be no kingdom
impact, no power of the Spirit to change a heart and a life. When our hearts are changed, our lives are to
be changed. If we are not changed by the
power of the Spirit, choosing rather to blend with the world, what kind of pathetic
impact is that? Believers are to be
different from the ways of the world yet unfortunately that is not often the
case. Sadly, therefore, God’s Word often
falls on deaf ears and is met with argumentative mindsets even on hearts that
are perhaps readied or tendered to hear Truth.
We cause much harm to ourselves and others when we do not live like
Christians. Remember, wisdom is always proved
right by what she does. If we truly
believe something our lives will reflect it.
"There are five Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Christian and some people will never read the first four." Gypsy Smith
“The
good news of the gospel is not that God will provide a way to make life easier.
The good news of the gospel, for this life, is that He will make our lives
better. We will be empowered to draw close to God and to love others well and
to do both for one central purpose, to glorify God, to make Him look good to
any who watch us live.” Larry Crabb
What
I glean from this:
· Fools do not listen to wise counsel.
· Fools find pleasure in their own opinions. They ever seek to do what is right in their
own eyes not Gods – big mistake.
· I am to live like a Christian.
