October 11, 2008

Today's Reading - Proverbs 11
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Following Scripture Verses

1. A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
2. When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.
3. The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.
4. Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.
5. The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
6. The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
7. When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
8. The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
9. An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
10. When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11. By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
12. He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
13. A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.
14. Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
15. He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
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.
19. As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
20. They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
21. Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
22. As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.
23. The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
24. There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
25. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
26. He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.
27. He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
28. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
29. He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.
30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
31. Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

Today's Pathway:
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"An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour..." - Proverbs 11:9

As I look at today's proverb, I see several different applications of this principle. By way of introduction, we need to remember what a hypocrite is. He is an actor; one who plays a certain roll "on stage", but is completely different anywhere else. Thus, the man in this verse acts one way in front of his neighbor, but another way behind his back. Solomon says that this kind of behavior destroys the neighbor.

I believe this can occur in several ways. First, and most obvious, a man who is two-faced might be very nice to his neighbor, but then speak ill of him to another. When this gets back to the neighbor, as it always eventually will, it will hurt him deeply, and he will resent the hypocrite for it. It will "destroy" him when he thinks about how his so-called friend duped him and used him. And it will certainly destroy any relationship that the two people might have had in the future. Suppose the neighbor is unsaved, and knows that the hypocrite is a believer. Will the neighbor be inclined to listen to a Gospel witness after this event? Probably not. Thus, he may be destroyed in Hell forever (Matt. 10:28).

A second way that a neighbor is destroyed by hypocrisy is when the believer lives next door for years, knowing that his neighbor is lost, and yet behaves as if the neighbor's spiritual condition is satisfactory. He never opens his mouth to witness. He never challenges his neighbor's beliefs. He treats his neighbor as if everything is fine when he knows that everything isn't fine. He goes to church and acts like he is concerned about the unsaved, yet he certainly doesn't convey that to his neighbor. After years of this "hypocrisy" the neighbor dies without ever receiving Christ as Savior, and spends eternity in the Lake of Fire.

Our hypocrisy will destroy our neighbors. Let's be consistent in what we say and do.

Pastor Mark J Montgomery