
Which proverb?
Cite your favorite proverb from Scripture and explain why it’s nearest and dearest to your heart, goes this Daily Nudge. This week, we’re doing several favorites, again, but no repetitions from past days.
A proverb, says Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, is “a short, pithy statement about human nature and life.” It packs a lot of wisdom in a small space. I like pithy. As such, this literary device is “designed to make God’s truth accessible to all people, so they might direct their lives in accordance with His will.” Another means, then, of divine revelation, so we dull and simple folk might get it. Isn’t it wonderful that the Lord doesn’t write for scholars?
Obviously, anything from the compilation we call the Book of Proverbs qualifies. But other proverbs are scattered throughout Scripture, so you’ll lose no points if you cite one from elsewhere than the 31 chapters of the book of wisdom by Solomon and other pithy writers.
With the modern’s short attention span and social networks like Twitter, one would think that the proverb would be a wonderful device for communicating truth today.
Am I late today? I stayed up working on an article on my neglected blog, about three rules for approaching the Bible, using Acts 1, which should go up later this morning. Being my day off, I slept in this morning and was able to snooze until 8 a.m., which I’ve not done in ages and ages. But enough of my personal habits.
I’ve not answered the Nudge in several days, so here goes my choice of proverb. It’s a word of Jesus’, in Matt. 11:17 and Luke 7:32. I quote from Luke, in the NET Bible:
They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another,
‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance;
we wailed in mourning, yet you did not weep.’
I like it because it reminds us of human inconsistency in people who, like the Jews of that generation (v. 31), unhappy with anything that didn’t fit their preconceived ideas, discount wisdom whenever it appears in any of her children (v. 35), be it John the Baptist or Jesus himself (v. 33-34) or a saint today.
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Chris Gallagher 7:53 am on March 8, 2012 Permalink |
Richard,
What an interesting question, I will open the flood gates of discussion regarding this question. There are people on my Facebook and Twitter list with whom I strongly disagree. I go further and have joined groups with those in which I strongly disagree for a couple reasons:
(1) I want to see how I can influence them for good through posting articles, links, material and even joining in discussions.
(2) I want keep up with the current thoughts of those with whom I disagree. I learned growing up that examining the others side of an issue many times will aid me in strengthening my foundation for my beliefs.
I appreciate the discussion and look forward to it.
Thanks,
Chris
John T. Polk II 10:58 am on March 8, 2012 Permalink |
Richard, thanks for bringing up the point for discussion. What Paul bound in 1 Corinthians 5 deals with (1) a local situation known to the local brethren; (2) involved purging out the “leaven” of observing our “Passover” (in the Lord’s Supper?); (3) and dealing with brethren who refused to repent when chastised; then surely we must deal with those whom we know to be in sin in such a way as to try to bring them to repentance.
What then is impressed by Paul on Timothy (and us!) in dealing with false teachers is not designed to bring them to repentance as much as it is to preserve us from the error of their doctrine(s) in 1 Timothy 6:1-5. This tells us (1) the doctrine is set; (2) anyone teaching anything contrariwise is false; (3) we must remain “withdrawn” from them.
That said, “social networking” blurs this distinction by allowing false teachers to continue to have influence over their acolytes. However, this electronic media works both ways! That’s why I have posted my debate charts with two false teachers on our website to keep the “marked” and refute their unscriptural doctrines that divide churches of Christ. One of these advocates the false doctrine that church-funded benevolence is for “saints only” (http://doverchurchofchrist.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/RELIGIOUS-DISCUSSION-At-Northside-Church-of-Chri3.swf), the other advocates the false doctrine that brethren cannot eat meals in the church building (http://doverchurchofchrist.info/wpcontent/uploads/2011/10/PolkDonahueDebate.swf).
This permits false teachers and their false doctrine(s) to be easily identified and refuted!
Thus, when “social media” continually keeps the error of their doctrine before them (which is why I post these links on my “Facebook” page), others may be warned, also.
God help us to maintain the Biblical lines clearly drawn by the Bible in our “postmodern” age! “Preach the word.”
John T. Polk II
John T. Polk II 10:47 am on March 9, 2012 Permalink |
Correction: the weblinks have been corrected and should work, now. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Richard, thanks for bringing up the point for discussion. What Paul bound in 1 Corinthians 5 deals with (1) a local situation known to the local brethren; (2) involved purging out the “leaven” of observing our “Passover” (in the Lord’s Supper?); (3) and dealing with brethren who refused to repent when chastised; then surely we must deal with those whom we know to be in sin in such a way as to try to bring them to repentance.
What then is impressed by Paul on Timothy (and us!) in dealing with false teachers is not designed to bring them to repentance as much as it is to preserve us from the error of their doctrine(s) in 1 Timothy 6:1-5. This tells us (1) the doctrine is set; (2) anyone teaching anything contrariwise is false; (3) we must remain “withdrawn” from them.
That said, “social networking” blurs this distinction by allowing false teachers to continue to have influence over their acolytes. However, this electronic media works both ways! That’s why I have posted my debate charts with two false teachers on our website to keep the “marked” and refute their unscriptural doctrines that divide churches of Christ. One of these advocates the false doctrine that church-funded benevolence is for “saints only” (http://doverchurchofchrist.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/RELIGIOUS-DISCUSSION-At-Northside-Church-of-Chri3.swf), the other advocates the false doctrine that brethren cannot eat meals in the church building (http://doverchurchofchrist.info/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/PolkDonahueDebate.swf).
This permits false teachers and their false doctrine(s) to be easily identified and refuted!
Thus, when “social media” continually keeps the error of their doctrine before them (which is why I post these links on my “Facebook” page), others may be warned, also.
God help us to maintain the Biblical lines clearly drawn by the Bible in our “postmodern” age! “Preach the word.”
John T. Polk II
Stevelucas 5:41 pm on March 8, 2012 Permalink |
Chris,
You are so spot on with your thoughts. If we do not engage those with whom we disagree, then before long we simply love those who love us and never know what are the concerns or issues of those who have yet to put on Christ. And oh yes, occasionally we learn a more perfect understanding of God’s Word which otherwise may never have been discovered.
Eugene Adkins 6:04 pm on March 8, 2012 Permalink |
Great questions, Richard.
This is something that I’ve thought about before. I believe that one can be a “friend” to someone without “fellowshipping” with them. For the most part I enjoy talking to others about things even when I do not agree with them biblically or socially. I think that’s all a part of our dialouge process…at least if we wish to have one.
Jesus definitely at with people that He did not agree with. While I know that a distinction can be made between “friending” someone and having a conversation with them, I also know that a person will never hear what you have to say if we always keep them at arms-length.
While there are no doubt exceptions to what I’ve said, I believe if a person can show themsleves friendly in the “real” world then they should be able to do the same in the “digital” one.
Just for clarification sake, I don’t have a face book account :)
J. Randal Matheny 5:05 am on March 9, 2012 Permalink |
I try to avoid the pushers, those who actively promote progressive doctrine. I don’t want to give them access to people. Others, I may befriend in hopes of influencing.
Eugene Adkins 6:58 am on March 9, 2012 Permalink |
I believe that would be one of my “exceptions” that I referred to, but I often take the chance to use it for a discussion without the use of the “like” button on the wordpress side of things.