Tiny Devotional for Wednesday, 04-24-2024

 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family who might drop by, the dogs are napping.

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not destroy his resting place;
For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of calamity.
Proverbs 24:15-16, NASB


Who does this verse protect? It's clear that it is a warning; it's written in the form of “Don't do THIS, because THAT.” And I have sung something similar to verse 16 as an encouragement about the what happens with a good man. Under that understanding, I interpret the verses as saying “Don't mess with the righteous, because I love them and will protect them.”

This morning, though, I feel a bit bolder, somehow. I think the selection is a warning of DIRECT consequences to the wicked, not only “don't mess with those I love.”

I think it's saying: “Don't mess with that kid. You might knock him down, once, but he'll get back up. Maybe you'll knock him down seven times, BUT HE WILL STILL GET BACK UP! And as for you? You're going down as soon as the trouble starts.”

In other words, I think these verses are bragging about how tough the righteous are. That feels good, to me! Who is doing the bragging? Well, it's Solomon, first of all; the wisest king is boasting of our prowess. But, some people don't listen to kings (I'm not overly fond of them myself). So, let's look beyond that; this is WISDOM PERSONIFIED speaking, and by implication, it's God Himself. His compassion for the wicked has Him warning them against messing with us. 

How's THAT feel, you tough guys?

Peace be on your household.

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 24, 2024 at 8:31 AM

    🙌🦄

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jesus SavesApril 29, 2024 at 8:04 AM

    Indeed, the righteous man falls seven times and rises up again. Praise God my Brother Pat!

    ReplyDelete

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