Bill Fitzhenry's Thoughts For Today…

Reading through the 31 chapters of Proverbs each month can give us an understanding of how to serve God.

Proverbs 10:26; 26:6 ESV

10:26

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes,
so is the sluggard to those who send him.

26:6

6 Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool
cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.

The warning in the words of 10:26 and 26:6 are repeated in substance throughout the Proverbs. One who reads and understands the warning stated here, understands how carefully a messenger must be chosen.

The messenger will determine if and how the message is delivered. A sluggard, in his laziness, will most often fail to fulfill his mission. The dishonest person cannot be depended on to deliver the message he is given. The message he delivers will be self-seeking, self-protecting, and false in its content.

There is nothing extreme in this application. The words of Proverbs seem to be straight forward and plain to the reader. But man is limited in knowledge and insight and will often fail in his choice of messengers.

The “how much more” of Scripture completes the conclusion if man should choose his messenger wisely and if he were able he would never send a lazy, foolish, or false one, how much more is God’s care that His messengers be capable, honest, and faithful.

The application is then apparent. The so-called gospel preachers who are foolish, false, and greedy are not sent by God and therefore neither will nor can do gospel preaching which will result in gospel conversions. Their converts and followers are as false as they are.

The answer to this is most often “but God can take a crooked stick and strike a straight lick. Look at Balaam’s donkey. God used him to bring an honest message”. Both the proverb and the illustration are true - but only within the proper bounds.

We must remember that even in the best of instances, “this message is brought in vessels of clay.” The errors and fallibility of the best of men does not change the judgment on those who are deliberately false.

The Apostle Peter warns (II Peter 2:1-3) of the presence of these false teachers. It is of interest that he describes the teachers, the followers, and the results which are so apparent in the church today. Acts 20:29-30