Proverbs 27.13
“Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.”
Sometimes we make foolish decisions. There are times when God in his mercy will deliver us from the consequences. If this happens, do not think God approves your actions; he is just showing mercy to you. There are other times, however, when God allows us to experience the consequences of our choices.
When someone becomes surety for a stranger, that is a very foolish thing to do. The proverb tells us to take a man’s garment when this happens. Surety is when we co-sign a loan or guarantee another person’s debt. If they default on the loan, then we are responsible for what they owe.
The reason this is so foolish in this situation is because someone is doing this for a stranger. He doesn’t know the man and is not related to him. He is just guaranteeing a loan for someone he does not know. He does not have a clue as to his character or his integrity. He just lays down his money to guarantee this man’s borrowing. Not smart. And it gets even worse when it turns out the stranger is engaged in elicit sex.
Bottom line, be careful who you lend money to and do business with.
Proverbs 27.14
“Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, will be counted as cursing.”
What you say, how you say it, why and when are all important. The picture being painted here is a person whose “blessing” is delivered with a loud voice early in the morning. The reality is that this is a curse, rather than a blessing.
The loud voice suggests that the person is trying too hard to impress or even manipulate their neighbor. They speak loudly because they are trying too hard to get the attention of the neighbor, and also because they want others to hear what they say. It is an exaggerated, less-than-sincere compliment.
Early in the morning indicates bad timing. Very bad timing. This suggests that in their haste, this insincere person failed to consider timing or context.
Proverbs 27.15-16
“A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike; to restrain her is to restrain the wind or to grasp oil in one’s right hand.”
This is an echo of Proverbs 21.9. Quarrelsome people make life miserable for themselves and for the people around them. This is true for any kind of relationship: at home, at work, and in our friendships. Whether male or female, nobody likes to be around a quarrelsome person.
Imagine a rainy day and a house that leaks. You cannot leave because of the rain outside; you cannot relax because of the dripping inside. You are miserable as the rain comes through the roof and ceiling to drip-drip-drip on you and everything and everyone in the house.
So it is with people who like to argue, nag, and criticize. This kind of “continual dripping” is terribly destructive. You want to escape the noise, but where can you go?
Sadly, this is descriptive of much of the political division and conflict we are currently experiencing, and it has become amplified in the midst of the CV-19 crisis. It is toxic, and it needs to stop. Both “sides” need to stop.
The path forward for our nation demands working together to find solutions, not attacking each other to push agendas. It demands collaboration with each other, not criticism of each other. It demands thinking, evaluating, and interacting with respect and deep listening. Disagreement is inevitable … indeed it is healthy .. but only if we actively engage with each other and seek to understand. No one person or party has the answers we need. Our best solutions will come from our combined thinking. The time has come to do the work of working together. The future of our nation demands it.
