PROVERBS AND GODLY WISDOM

Lesson Eight

Things Godly Wisdom Does Not Do

Text: Proverbs 3:27-35

Virtually every cause or movement is composed of positive and negative instructions.  It is not unusual for a cause or movement to be defined primarily by what it does not do.  Seemingly, people like to define responsibility by the negative.  They like to produce the impression that a person can be a part of a cause or movement by doing nothing if they avoid the correct things.

Consider two illustrations.  Illustration # 1: people often wish to prove they are good because of what they do not do.  “Because I avoid doing these things, I am good.  I do not actually do anything positive, but my goodness is demonstrated in the fact that I avoid the correct things.  I may not do anything, but I avoid the ‘bad’ things.”  Thus the person is “good” if the person does nothing, but in doing nothing he/she avoids the correct “bad” things.

In illustration #2 carefully note the contrast.  In the Ten Commandments (this is taken from Exodus 20:1-17), most of the commands are stated in the negative.  Four commands are about Israel’s relationship with God, and six commands are about the Israelites’ relationship with each other.  The “do not” is prominent.  Yet, the “do not” commands are not instructions to do nothing, but instructions to redirect behavior.

Consider the instructions about relationship with God.  They were not to honor other forms of deity. They were not to make idols.  They were not to use God’s name in order to achieve deception. They were not to work on the seventh day or Sabbath.

Why?  God was one, not many.   Only He had delivered them from Egypt.  He was so distinct from physical creation that nothing in creation could represent Him.  An important way to acknowledge His superiority over the creation was to refuse to use His name in an attempt to deceive.  (Their form of a guarantee was to use an oath that called upon something greater than self to verify truth.)  They would not work on the seventh day because God rested on the seventh day after creation.  Thus a completely different perception of deity resulted in a completely different behavior in honoring deity.

In their relationship with each other, they would care for their parents; they would not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie about a neighbor, or covet anything in a neighbor’s possession.  The prohibitions could be fulfilled only through respect for fellow Israelites.  Thus a completely different way of perceiving people should result in a completely different behavior toward people.  Other people were not to be viewed as “my” opportunity.

The point: How one did not behave determined how he/she would behave.  The negative stressed the positive.  Avoid the negative by doing the positive.  Example: Settle disputes respectfully—murder IS NOT an option!

In today’s text, godly wisdom DOES NOT:

1. Withhold doing good when the person is capable of doing the good.
2. Delay in helping your neighbor.
3. Devise harm to your neighbor who trusts you to do good.
4. Be contentious without cause.
5. Envy people of violence.

What will that mean?

1. You will do good promptly as ability presents opportunity.
2. People who count on you have reason to understand you are trustworthy.
3. You are open in your actions—you are not dangerous to others.
4. You seek peace rather than contention.
5. You let the right people influence you—people who challenge you to be your best.

Why?

1. God is close to the upright, not the untrustworthy.
2. God blesses the righteous, but curses the wicked.
3. God gives grace to the person who suffers, but has no confidence in those who live in doubt.
4. Honor is the inheritance of the wise; however fools delight in dishonor (they do not understand they shame themselves).

Remember being godly is both positive and negative.  The fact you do not behave wickedly means you behave in a godly manner.

For Thought and Discussion

1. Virtually every cause or movement is composed of what?

2. How do “good” people often wish to prove they are “good?”

3. In the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), how many were about relationship with God?  About relationship with people?

4. What understandings were the basis of Israel’s relationship with God?

5. How was Israel to treat other Israelites?

6. What was the point in the Ten Commandments?

7. In today’s text, godly wisdom did not do what things?  What did that mean?

8. Give four reasons for godly wisdom behaving in that manner.

9. What are you challenged to remember?

10. What fact should you remind yourself of?

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David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ