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Today we come to Proverbs chapter 26, which has a couple of major themes in it. If I were to give a title to this chapter, I would call it "The Nature of the Fool and of the Lazy Man." And we remember that Proverbs chapter 26 is part of the broader collection of Solomon's proverbs that were gathered and added to the collection in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah. Now, this all happens some 270 years after the time of Solomon. And this comprises the chapters between chapter 25 and ending in chapter 29. This is Hezekiah's collection of Solomon's proverbs. And we begin with this section here, the first 16 verses, which has to do thematically with fools and sluggards.
Let's begin here now at verse one of Proverbs 26. "As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool." If you notice the first line here of verse one, it points out some things that are out of place. Snow in summer is out of place. Rain in the harvest is not only out of place, it's devastating to a good harvest. You see, these things are not only out of place, but in an economy based on grain grown in the field, snow in the summer and rain in the harvest are disasters of bad timing.
Bruce Waltke puts it like this. He said, "A snowfall in summer would signal the times are out of joint and would be catastrophic. Snow or rain ruins the grain harvest by damaging and causing it to rot." So in the same way that things are out of place, snow in summer and rain in the harvest, and potentially catastrophic, so it is true the second line of verse one. So honor is not fitting for a fool. Honor for the fool is out of place. It's just as out of place as snow in the summer or rain during harvest. Out of place and can lead to disaster. You see, friends, honor is not fitting for a fool.
And now let me quote Matthew P. He said, "Because he neither deserves it nor knows how to use it, but his folly is both increased and publicly manifested by it."
Now verse two, "The destiny of a curse without cause. Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight." Solomon described birds that fly without taking rest on a branch or surface. Not that they never do, but that they fly around a lot. A flitting sparrow, a flying swallow. Now, just like those birds are that often don't land. You don't you don't see them just sitting somewhere often. So verse two says, "So a curse without cause shall not alight." In the same way that a bird will fly without landing, so a curse that someone makes without proper cause before God will not alight. It won't land. If someone pronounces a curse, it doesn't have magical properties. There must be cause before God for it to have any power.
Bruce Walkey put it like this. "Since the creator and lord of history is the source of blessing and cursing through a fellow human being, the proverb infers that the undeserved or unfitting curse is ineffective because the sovereign does not back it up." And friends, this is a true principle that we see several times in scripture. John Trap recalled that Shimei cursed David, but nothing came of it. The people cursed Jeremiah the prophet in his day, but nothing came of that. In addition to those two examples, Balak, the king of Moab, wanted Balaam to curse Israel, but he could not. So, there is no inherent power in a curse. It's only if God chooses to back it up. We don't have to have a superstitious fear of someone's curse. No, it has to be the Lord behind the curse or it just doesn't matter.
Starting at verse three, we have a few verses on how to deal with fools. Here we go. Verses 3-6 here in Proverbs chapter 26. "A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the fool's back. Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence."
Now notice this, verse three begins with this phrase, "a whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey." You see, there is an instrument that is appropriate for these animals. Now, there's also an instrument that's fitting for the fool, and that is a rod for the fool's back. What the fool will not learn from the words of wisdom, they must learn through the infliction of pain. Now here the figure of pain that Solomon uses in this proverb is a rod like a stick for the fool's back. Something to beat him with. That's one kind of way to inflict pain upon a fool and hope that they might learn from it. But you know there's a lot of other ways that we can experience pain in our life. And we can be fools and refuse to learn from God's wisdom and suffer a lot because of it. Broken lives, broken relationships, ruined jobs, destroyed things in our life again and again. This inflicts a lot of pain. And look, let's be honest, many times this is because we've been fools. Friends, by God's grace, try to live on a higher level. Don't be the fool that can only learn through the infliction of pain. You know, a brute animal can only understand the language of force. Don't be like that animal.
Now in verse four it says something else interesting about a fool. Verse four says, "Do not answer a fool according to his folly." In other words, when a fool pours forth his foolishness, it's often right to not answer them. Sometimes contending with a fool can make someone look just like the fool. Alan Ross in his commentary put it like this. He said this quote, "One should not descend to his level of thought. To get into an argument with a fool like that would only make one look like a fool as well." So there's a very real principle behind that statement in verse four. Do not answer a fool according to his folly.
But now I want you to look again at verse five. I read it to you before, but look at verse five in more greater depth here. Verse five says, "Answer a fool according to his folly." Look, I don't blame you for saying, "Wait a minute. Verse four told me to not answer a fool, and verse five tells me to answer a fool." And friends, I love it that Hezekiah's men in collecting Solomon's proverbs made sure that these two were right close together. I mean, maybe they were together in Solomon's original writings. Maybe Hezekiah and his men who gathered these proverbs, put them next to each other. But it's brilliant. And of course, led by the Holy Spirit. Why? Well, because this illustrates for us very powerfully one of the important principles of the book of Proverbs. That proverbs are always given according to context and suitability. They're not automatic laws that rigidly always apply in every situation.
But look, the answer is easy if we'll just see it. There are times when you should not answer a fool according to his folly. That's in verse four. And there are other times when it's right to do what verse five says, answer a fool according to his folly. You see, sometimes a wise answer to a fool will expose his folly and prevent him from becoming wise in his own eyes.
Now, how do we know when it's right to not answer a fool or to answer a fool? Well, Matthew P said this. He said, "Answer a fool when he is capable of receiving good by it or when it is necessary for the glory of God or for the discharge of a man's duty or for the good of others." Okay. Well, there's some measuring things. Will he be capable to receive it? Is it necessary to do it for the glory of God? Is it my duty in society or by office that I hold to answer a fool? Or is it for the good of others so that they might learn from it? But I just want to make this clear again. Verse four says, "Do not answer a fool." Verse five says, "Do answer a fool." But those who think that Proverbs 26:4 contradicts Proverbs 26:5, they're just unfamiliar with the nature of practical wisdom in life.
Let me read you a quote from Alan Ross. He put it like this. "These two proverbs are put together to show that human problems are often complicated and cannot always be solved by appealing to a single rule." No, part of wisdom is to know what applies in what context. And this leads us to sort of a conclusion that Charles Bridges had in his comments on this verse. Charles Bridges said this. "Oh, for wisdom to govern the tongue to discover the right time to speak and the right time to stay silent. How instructive is the pattern of our great master. His silence and answers were equally worthy of himself. The former always conveyed a dignified rebuke. The latter responded to the confusion of his contentious enemies."
See what Charles Bridges was telling us to do in those few sentences from his commentary. Charles Bridges was telling us that we should take the example of Jesus because he lived out both of these proverbs perfectly. There were times when Jesus gave no answer to the fools that were questioning him. There were other times when Jesus gave an answer. He was led by wisdom and by the spirit. May we be also.
Now, continuing on here in this section talking about fools. Verse six says, "He who sends a message by the hand of a fool." You see, one should never expect a good result by sending a message by the hand of a fool. It's like harming oneself. Now, I think there's an interesting paradox with this proverb. What does it say here in verse six? Verse six puts it like this. It says, "He who sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence." In other words, you're you're just not wise. You're stupid. You're hurting yourself. You can't expect a good result by sending a message by the hand of a fool. However, isn't it curious to us that God chose the foolish things of this world to be his messengers? That's what it says in 1 Corinthians 1:27. However, we can say that God wants those messengers. I mean, you, I mean me, I mean all of us. God wants his messengers to be something better than fools as we do his work.
Now on to verse seven. We have a section here, verses 7 to 12, that describe the nature of a fool. Starting here at verse seven. "Like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools. Like one who binds a stone in a sling is he who gives honor to a fool. Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools. The great God who formed everything gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages. As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly. Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There's more hope for a fool than for him."
In a series of like the statements where Solomon's making comparisons in these proverbs, Solomon is colorfully explaining the nature of a fool. So to begin with, a fool's possession of wisdom, that is a proverb in the mouth, it's useless. Like the legs of the lame, legs of a lame man really don't serve him any help. And that's what it is for a fool to possess or supposedly possess wisdom. And the fool's receiving of honor is stupid. Like the one who binds a stone in a sling so that it can't be cast out. And then thirdly, the fool's attempt to proclaim wisdom brings pain like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard.
Now, these are absurd illustrations, but I like what Matthew P said. He said, "These are absurd illustrations, but no less absurd is he that gives to a fool that honor and praise which he's not capable of either receiving or retaining or using a right, but it is quite wasted upon him, and it does him more hurt than good." So he goes on to say that this unwise person gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages. God's guidance and governing over all things extends to the fool and the transgressor. He will make sure that they get what is due, both their hire and their wages.
And then in verse 11, we have the distasteful statement. "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." This proverb tells us that a fool will not change their ways apart from a dramatic transformation. Just as it is in the dog's nature to return to his own vomit, it is in the fool's nature to repeat his folly. 2 Peter chapter 2:22 uses this verse to illustrate the repulsive nature of a sinner returning to their sin.
I like what Bruce Walkey had to say about this. I'm going to ask your forgiveness in advance for reading this quote to you from Bruce Walke because in referring to this verse which is already pretty gross, a dog returning to his vomit so a fool returns to his folly, it's very direct. Bruce Walkey's quote here. "Quote, this is an intentionally repulsive simile. It juxtaposes a fool with a contemptible dog, his destructive folly with the dog's vomit, and the fool's incorrigibility with the dog's repulsive nature to return to its vomit, to sniff at it, to lick it, and finally to eat it." Friends, that's gross. It's disgusting. We turn away from that sight. We say that that's so. Listen, would that people would turn away from sin as much as we turn away from the grotesque description of what sin is like. It's like a dog returning to its vomit. Friends, we should turn away from it. It does us no good.
Now verse 12 contains the phrase here, "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?" Despite the very severe treatment of the fool, Solomon thought of a man in an even worse danger, that is the proud man, the one who is wise in his own eyes. Friends, this is a special type of folly, one that will never learn the ways of wisdom. Look, there's fools. Proverbs talks a lot about the fool. But there's a special kind of fool, almost a super fool, if you want to put it that way, and that is the man who's wise in his own eyes.
G. Campbell Morgan put it like this. "The greatest fool is the fool who does not know he is a fool. No, instead he thinks he's awesome. He thinks he's wise in his own eyes." And G. Campbell Morgan went on to explain a simple way to see if you are wise in your own eyes. Ready for this? Look to see how often you seek God for his wisdom and guidance. If you don't do it very often, if you only rarely seek God for his wisdom and guidance, then that means that you don't think you need the wisdom and guidance of God. Doesn't that mean that you are wise in your own eyes? Look, as bad as the description of the fool was in these verses 7-12, it's sort of sobering at the end there where it says again, I'll read verse 12 to you. "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There's more hope for a fool than for him." Friends, don't be a fool, of course, but don't be this one that's even worse than a fool.
Now, beginning here at verse 13, we see some words on the nature of a lazy man. Let's take a look here at verse 13. "The lazy man says, 'There's a lion in the road. A fierce lion is in the streets.'"
"As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed. The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl. It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth. The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly."
You see what these four verses have to tell us about the lazy man. First of all, it tells us that the lazy man says there's a lion on the road. Here's the point. The lazy man will create any excuse to avoid work. Look, a lion in the road was a virtual impossibility in biblical times. Oh, there were lions in the lands of the Bible. David said that he had fought a lion and Samson fought a lion. There were lions, but they weren't on the roads of villages and towns and cities. They were out in the country. So, a lion in the road was a virtual impossibility. Yet, the lazy man shows talent, creative talent. You see, he imagines not only a lion, but as it says in the second line of verse 13, it's a fierce lion. Friends, that's a form of work, isn't it? To have that creative talent to make up stories, to make up excuses. But all that effort, all that creativity, it's dedicated to the effort of avoiding real work. Maybe you're good at it, folks. Maybe you've developed quite a skill for making excuses for your laziness. Well, may God give you the wisdom to see it's time to change, to confess and repent of such sins of laziness and to say, "Lord, help me to be free of this."
Now, he goes on in verse 14 to say, "As a door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man on his bed." You see, the only way a door can turn is on its hinges. And the only turning that the lazy man does is on his bed. There's another analogy, too. A hinge moves, but it doesn't go anywhere. There's some action, there's some activity, but really no motion. Nothing really moves. Nothing changes. That's how it is with a lot of lazy people. They find a way to keep themselves busy doing nothing.
And then he continues on here with this in verse 15. "The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl. It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth." Can you imagine that picture? The lack of energy and initiative in the lazy man is so profound that he won't properly care for his personal needs. I put my hand in the bowl to get some food. Oh, and I'm so tired. I can't even bring it back to put the food in my mouth. That's lazy. You know, Bruce Walke puts it like this. He said, "The sluggard so dislikes any form of work that the very thought of exerting himself exhausts him."
And then in this section, the last little phrase in verse 16, it says, "The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly." You see, the lazy man may lack energy and initiative, but he does not lack a high opinion of himself. Matter of fact, he considers himself smarter than seven men who can answer sensibly. The lazy man has great confidence in his own abilities, but he never seems to accomplish very much. Friends, may God give us the grace to diagnose ourselves if we're in the place of this lazy man and to, by the power of his spirit and reliance on the work of Jesus, look for a better way, a way where we live active lives of just productive contribution and truly being a help and assistance to God, to his work, to his people, to a needy world.
All right. Now, at verse 17, we begin a different portion of this chapter. I would extend this chapter 26, verse 17 all the way to the end of the chapter, verse 28. It talks about how the wise person avoids sins of speech. That's really what we're concerned with in the second half here of chapter 26, sins of speech. So verse 17 will speak to us about the wisdom of not interfering in the disputes of other people.
Here we go. Proverbs 26:17. "He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a dog by the ears." Some people find it irresistible to get involved in the disputes of other people. The quarrel doesn't really belong to them, but they make it their own. You know, Jesus knew when to not get involved in another's dispute. And to a person foolish enough to involve themselves in disputes that aren't their own, verse 17 says that they are like one who takes a dog by the ears. Now, can you imagine such a thing? Think of a vicious, violent dog, and you're crazy enough to grab that dog by the ears. If you do that, it's hard to let go without getting bit. And the dog will never appreciate it. You're grabbing its ears. Friends, that's foolish. It's the same kind of folly that makes someone get involved in matters that aren't their own.
Charles Bridges put it like this, quoting, "There is a world of difference between suffering as a Christian and suffering as a busybody. Even with Christian intentions, many of us are too fond of meddling in other people's affairs." Amen to that.
All right. Now, verses 18 and 19 speak to us about the danger of the practical joker. Here we go. Starting at verse 18. "Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, 'I was only joking.'" Solomon painted the picture of a fierce warrior with many weapons who spreads destruction everywhere. This warrior throws firebrands and arrows and death. A very fearsome warrior. Well, like that fierce warrior is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, "I was only joking." The man who plays tricks on others, deceiving them and covering up by saying, "Hey, I was only joking." That person is a danger to other people and usually a very unwelcome companion. Now, that person often doesn't mean to do harm. They just love to make trouble, to stir up some mischief, and they get lots of laughs, lots of feedback. It eggs them on. But it is to be avoided. Friends, avoid being that person, the man who deceives his neighbor and then just says, "I was only joking. I pranked you. I did it just to get a rise, just to get a joke, just to get some social media traffic in response." God forbid.
Verses 20-22 speak to us of the dangerous words of the talebearer. Here we go. Starting at verse 20. "Where there is no wood, the fire goes out. And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases. As charcoal is to burning coals and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, and they go down into the inmost body."
Just as wood fuels a fire, so the talebearer or the gossip fuels strife. The fire won't continue to burn without the wood. And the strife won't continue when the talebearer stops their work. You know, James in James 3:6 described the power of words to set a destructive fire. This is something for us to think about. Adam Clark analyzed it like this in his commentary. He said, "The tale receiver and the talebearer are the agents of discord. If none received the slander in the first instance, it could not be propagated. Hence our proverb, the receiver is as bad as the thief. And our laws treat them equally. For the receiver of stolen goods, knowing them to be stolen, is hanged as well as he who stole them."
You know what Adam Clark is doing is making an analogy between what people say that is talebearing, gossipy, slander about other people and the whole act of taking stolen goods and selling stolen goods. And if somebody's selling stolen goods and you know them to be stolen, it's a crime for you to receive them. Well, in the same way, it's a sin before God to receive. And often times you do it with great joy.
The words of the talebearer, the contentious man. Verse 21 says, "So is a contentious man to kindle strife." In other words, strife doesn't create itself. It has a maker, and that maker is the gossip, the talebearer, the contentious man. Dwayne Garrett said this in his commentary. "In the absence of such a person, old hurts can be set aside, and discord can die a natural death. Even so, we often find a juicy tidbit of defamation irresistible." That's why verse 22 says, "The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles." Now this proverb is also repeated back in chapter 18:8. It explains that the gossip and the evil reports brought by the talebearer are almost impossible to resist. Those who should know better find it difficult to tell the talebearer to stop talking.
Dear friend, I ask myself this question. I'm going to ask it to you. When's the last time we told somebody, "I don't want to hear it." No, listen. I just don't want to hear it. And the reason why is those juicy bits of gossip. Verse 22 says, "They go down into the inmost body." When we receive the words of a talebearer, they normally have an effect on us. The words go down into us and often change the way that we think and feel about people. Even if what the talebearer says isn't true or isn't confirmed, God gave a strong word regarding the confirmation of testimony. You'll find it in Deuteronomy 19, 2 Corinthians chapter 13, 1 Timothy chapter 5. And once we start eating these tasty trifles, it's very hard to stop. We eat some, we want more. Friends, avoid being the talebearer and avoid receiving the words of a talebearer, even though they're like tasty trifles.
Now, before we leave this and go on to verse 23, I do need to say something about this that's relevant to a particular season that I'm speaking of right now. And maybe you're going to listen to this later when it's not so acute out in our present age, even though in some sense it's evergreen. This obviously biblical command to avoid the talebearer, to avoid the gossip, does not mean that genuine sin and abuse should not be confronted and dealt with. No. The idea behind here, the talebearer and the gossip, number one, is that they often spread things that are not true or certainly not confirmed in any adequate way. That's one characteristic of gossip. But here's a second characteristic: that these things are spoken of and shared really simply for entertainment value. And that's a huge difference between that sort of the sinful use of the misfortune and sins and transgressions of others as entertainment. There's a big difference between that and bringing about justice for people who have been hurt and abused by other people. The reason why I bring this up, I think, is obvious, is that there are some people who, in sort of a culture of cover-up, would appeal to passages like this simply to get people not to talk about the sins that they have committed. That's obviously motivated by self-interest, not by obedience to the scriptures or the glory of God.
All right, let's continue on here into verse 23. "Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross." There are people who have fervent lips. What does that mean? Well, they're able to speak with power and persuasion, yet they have a wicked heart. And the ill effect of their wicked heart is made much more effective because of their fervent words. John Trap said that Martin Luther translated this as "a bad mouth and a worse heart." And what are these people like who have fervent lips and a wicked heart? It says that they are like earthenware covered with silver dross. This is an example of something that looks superficially good with a silver veneer, but it's worthless earthenware on the inside. So the man mentioned in the first line may attract people superficially, but inside he's worthless.
Verse 24, 25, and 26 here in Proverbs chapter 26, speaking about the secret hater. Listen to this. "He who hates disguises it with his lips and lays up deceit within himself. When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart. Though his hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness will be revealed before the assembly."
Think about those opening words there in verse 24. "He who hates disguises it with his lips." It is common for those who hate others. Maybe they hate God. Maybe they hate other people. But it's common for those who hate others, whether they be God or men, to disguise it with their words. They don't want to give up their hate, but they don't want to be known as a hater. They don't want that reputation. They use charming words to cover their evil thoughts. And what do those people do? Verse 24 says that he lays up deceit within himself. The secret hater deceives others, but he also deceives himself. He imagines himself to be a better man than he really is. Therefore, verse 25 says, "When he speaks kindly, do not believe him." The secret hater should not be trusted. Even if he speaks kindly, his words do not reflect the true thoughts of his heart. Matter of fact, verse 26 says that his hatred is covered by deceit. However, verse 26 also says that his wickedness will be revealed before the assembly. Whether this assembly is in the world, in this world or in the world to come, the wickedness and evil heart of the secret hater, it will be revealed.
Now verses 27 and 28, which speak to us about the self-appointed judgment on the lying tongue. We read, "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him. A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, and a flattering mouth works ruin."
Do you see that line in verse 27? "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it." In his judgments, God often appoints that people reap what they sow. That he will treat them the same way that they have treated others. Therefore, it's often the case that they will fall into the pit that they dug as a trap or a snare for others. That the stone that they rolled against someone else will roll back on them. You know, we see examples of this in the Old Testament. A similar fate, the trap that they prepared for someone else. That happened with Haman. He was hanged on the same gallows that he prepared for Mordecai. Daniel's enemies in the book of Daniel chapter 6, the lions in the lion's den that he that were intended to devour Daniel ended up devouring his enemies.
We also see here in verse 28 that it says that "a lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it." The liar does his destruction without sympathy for others. He doesn't feel sorry for the ones that he crushes. No, instead he actively hates them. And then verse 28 also speaks of a flattering mouth. "A flattering mouth works ruin." You see, flattery is just another way to lie. It's another way that the lying tongue brings ruin. Their flattering mouth builds pride in other people and it manipulates others for deceptive goals.
Well, that brings us here at verse 28 to the end of Proverbs chapter 26. But before we leave the chapter, let's just think of a couple of ways that Proverbs chapter 26 points to Jesus Christ. And for that, I'd take you back to the first couple verses of this chapter. Proverbs 26:1 says this, "As snow in summer and rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool." Now, you might ask me, David, how does that point to Jesus? Well, hear me out. Honor doesn't fit the fool, but it does fit Jesus Christ. Think of Jesus as the opposite of this fool. You know, it's not fitting for a fool to receive honor, but you tell me, is it fitting for Jesus Christ to receive honor? Because of his wisdom, his love, his sacrifice, and his holiness, Jesus is exalted above all. He has the honor of the name to which every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That's from Philippians chapter 2. So we see Jesus as the opposite of the fool that doesn't deserve honor. No, Jesus does deserve all honor.
And then in Proverbs 26:2, think of this proverb that tells us that a curse without cause will not abide. I'll read it to you again. "Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight." In other words, I'll say it again. A curse without cause will not abide. Now think about this in terms of Galatians 3:3. This is what that verse says. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree." Now what Paul is pointing out there in Galatians chapter 3 is that Jesus bore our curse when he died on the cross. But in a sense, the curse that Jesus bore was without cause because there was nothing in Jesus worthy of being cursed. Any curse that he bore on the cross, he bore out of sacrificial love for his people. Not because there was anything within him that deserved a curse. In that sense, he was cursed without cause and therefore the curse did not stay upon Jesus. Friends, the ascended Jesus, enthroned into heaven, he is not cursed in any sense whatsoever. Friends, take it to heart. Jesus Christ bore the curse. In some sense, he became a curse, but that curse did not alight on him or abide on him.
Father in heaven, we thank you that Jesus out of sacrificial love bore a curse for us, his people, all those who put their trust in him. But Lord, we realize that because he never deserved that curse, that he willingly embraced it out of sacrificial love. Lord, we're grateful that that curse did not abide upon him. And so Lord, we're grateful that we have a savior who bore the curse without becoming a curse. No, Lord, instead he's great blessing to his people. And Lord, as your children, we come to you and we say, give us your wisdom. Let Jesus Christ become our wisdom and teach us through these important and impressive principles from Proverbs. We pray this Lord in Jesus' name. Amen.
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