Proverbs 29.24
“The partner of a thief hates his own life; he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.”
To associate with law-breakers is a mistake. It is a self-inflicted wound. This verse says that it is equivalent to hating your own life.
The situation envisioned is of someone who is closely associated with a thief, suggesting that the partner participated in the crime of robbery. Because of their relationship with the thief, they refuse to testify against the criminal, which compromises justice and puts the partner at risk.
This principle has roots in the OT Law. Leviticus 5 describes a judicial circumstance when testimony against a criminal is called for. However, because of the relationship, the witness will not step forward, thus opening up the possibility of the curse resting on him, which could mean his own death.
The bottom line is clear: When you encourage and enable law-breakers, you put yourself at risk.
Proverbs 29.25
“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”
One of the first principles taught in the Book of Proverbs is, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1.7). In other words, we called to live and work for the Audience of One.
When we lose sight of the fear of God and become overly concerned with what others think of us, we fall into a dangerous trap. Fearing man is the opposite of fearing God. Fearing man is worrying about pleasing men and obtaining their agreement, friendship, and favor, rather than God’s. You are afraid of their displeasure or rejection, so you do what you can to keep their approval and stay friends.
The fear of the Lord is essential for a wise and productive life, and we have written about it in several devotionals in the past. “The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied.” (Proverbs 19.23)
The mindset you bring to life and to the pursuit of wisdom is a critical factor. It is arguably the critical factor. By “mindset” I mean your belief system. Your worldview. The lens through which you look at the world and yourself in the world. In Proverbs we are told repeatedly that the starting point for the right mindset is “the fear of the Lord.”
The message is profound: There is no lasting knowledge and wisdom apart from a right relationship with the God who created us, redeems us, and calls us into relationship with him. The Lord is the Author of all truth, both physical and spiritual, and he seeks to be our Teacher about how the world works, and how he wants us to work in the world.
“Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.” (Psalm 86.11)
Step one in gaining wisdom is submission to the authority of God the Creator. The key to a wise and skillful life is acknowledging that God has created moral and physical laws that govern the world in which we live. This is what it means to “fear the Lord.” The Hebrew word for “fear” in Proverbs has a wide semantic range that goes from “deep respect” and “awe” to “utter terror.” It’s meaning here is recognition of and humble response to God’s character, commands, and physical laws. It means deep respect for God’s standards as the reference point for what is true and how to live.
I believe God is calling Christians in our generation to walk in greater degrees of wisdom, and that is the purpose of this devotional series on the book of Proverbs. We desperately need wisdom and skill that is born of the fear of the Lord.
By “we” I mean those who profess faith in Jesus. There will be no positive change in America until the modern culture sees and experiences true wisdom in the way Christians live and work. By “fear of the Lord” I mean precisely what Proverbs is teaching here: honoring, respecting, and submitting to the Lordship of Jesus as the Author and Creator of all truth.
May we have the mindset of Christ, and may we be trained in the wisdom of the Lord as we continue to navigate the challenges of the 21st century. May we honor and submit to the Lord and his truth in all that we think, say, and do. May we live and work for the Audience of One.
“In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56.10-11)
