He
layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous (Prov 2:7)
Wisdom’s Great Gain: Showing Grace & Mercy
Towards Others: Proverbs 11:16-18
16) A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong [men] retain riches.
17) The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own
flesh.
18) The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth
righteousness [shall be] a sure
reward.
In
this next section of Proverbs, Solomon explains that the necessity and ability
to perform acts of grace and mercy is given to us through the application of
wisdom.
What
is meant by “grace” and “mercy” ?
1. When we speak of treating others graciously,
we are describing the act of GIVING that which is BENEFICIAL to those that are UNDESERVING
of the benefit.
For
example, one way the Lord has graced us is by granting to us forgiveness of our
sins when we did not deserve to be forgiven.
2. When we speak of mercy, we are describing the
WITHHOLDING of that which is HARMFUL from those who are DESERVING of it.
By
way of example, the Lord has shown us mercy by withholding the Lake of Fire
from us even though we deserve to spend an eternity there.
EXPOSITION:
16) A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong [men] retain riches.
1.
A gracious woman receives, and keeps, the respect, admiration and esteem of
others.
2.
She is much like a man who obtains, and guards, that which is valuable through
the use of physical strength
“Favour [is] deceitful, and
beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of
her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.” (Proverbs 31:30-31)
17) The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own
flesh.
1. A man who displays mercy towards others
benefits his own physical earthly life.
By showing mercy, he is gaining respect, admiration and the friendship of
others around him. (Just like the woman described above)
2. A man that is violent, deadly, unforgiving only
harms his life on earth. He makes
enemies of others, causes grudges to be held against him and causes separation
and strife with those around him.
“[Is it] not to deal thy
bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy
house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not
thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break
forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy
righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy
rereward. Then shalt thou call, and
the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I [am]. If thou
take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and
speaking vanity; And [if] thou draw out thy
soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise
in obscurity, and thy darkness [be] as the noonday: And the LORD shall guide
thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and
thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters
fail not. And [they that shall be]
of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations
of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The
restorer of paths to dwell in.” (Isaiah 58:7-12)
“Because he hath oppressed [and]
hath forsaken the poor; [because] he hath violently taken away an house which
he builded not; Surely he shall not feel
quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired. There shall none of his
meat be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods. In the fulness of his
sufficiency he shall be in straits: every hand of the wicked shall come upon
him. [When] he is about to fill
his belly, [God] shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain [it]
upon him while he is eating. (Job 20:19-23)
18) The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth
righteousness [shall be] a sure
reward.
1. Those that are unforgiving and unloving, guilty
and condemned in God’s sight, lead a misleading life of deceit.
2. However, those who lead a life of grace and mercy
in actions and speech will certainly receive future blessings for their
faithfulness.
“For he that soweth to his
flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit
shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap,
if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:8-9)
SUMMARY:
As
the Lord’s children, we are to live lives that exhibit grace and mercy to those
around us. In doing so, we are not only
setting a good example of kindness and forgiveness, but are also displaying an
imperfect image of the grace and mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, may we all, through the
application of wisdom to our life, display grace and mercy to all those around
us. In doing so we will be not only
helping others, and securing rewards for our benefit but especially we will be glorifying
our Lord Jesus.
May
we all choose to speak words of wisdom, knowing that they will result in
blessings to both the speaker and the hearers.
By
God’s grace, let us all study these proverbs diligently, giving them the value
that they deserve.
May the
Lord bless us as we receive this sound wisdom and then “Think On These Things”.
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