Proverbs 31:9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Ah Friends, it’s Friday already, coming up to the time of rest, rejuvenation and celebration of the Sabbath. I hope you wore your spiritual armour all week and consequently stood strong against the enemy. Today I have a real interesting quote to share. The German philosopher, writer and lawyer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) is alleged to have made this statement. ‘Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become what they are capable of.’ Wow! Not only is it true my people, but it’s also an attitude, a principle that all we believers should adopt because it fits in quite nicely with our belief system and the works of Jesus. I guess we can term it a Jesus attitude (smile) since that’s exactly how He behaved. And a wonderful example of that is in the choosing of His disciples. Jesus didn’t look for the most educated, talented or wealthy, but for those who were considered the lower classes, the unwashed, uneducated, menial workers like tax collectors and fishermen, those who were normally excluded from the upper echelons of society. What did He say to Peter and Andrew when He recruited them? ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ (Mat.4:19) Jesus took them, unwashed and uneducated, and improved them. He didn’t look at their current limitations, but rather saw their possibilities after He had finished teaching them. Oh Friends, that’s how we are also expected to behave. We must not judge others, especially the struggling and unfortunate, by their current standing, instead we ought to see what they can become, envision their capabilities with help, and offer that help. It’s all part and parcel of our duty and fellowship as followers of Jesus. That principle is closely linked to Today’s Bit from Proverbs Chapter 31, supposedly written by one King Lemuel, relating his mother’s advice. However, the scholars claim to know nothing about him, except that Israel never had a king by that name. Anyway, regardless of the true author’s identity, the advice is still sound and in keeping with Jesus’ teaching. ‘Open thy mouth, judge righteously…’ Oh Friends, justice and righteousness are mainstays of our God’s nature. Listen to Him speaking through Moses on the laws of holiness and justice. ‘Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.’ (Lev.19: 15) Yes my people, we’re not to make judgements based on a person’s appearance or his position in society, but strictly in truth and righteousness. When Moses recounted God’s promises to his people, he put forth the same theory. ‘And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes (cases) between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.’ (Deut.1:16) But Friends, we too often see in our society different standards and judgements meted out to different people merely because of their wealth, political, or social standing. It’s obvious that the poor and needy receive a much more intolerant attitude in our justice system. Just look at the difference in the handling of white and blue-collar crime. The fraud artist, milking people for millions of dollars receives bail and a comparatively light sentence, while the down on his luck person that steals to feed himself and/or his family will probably be refused bail, or if granted, has no one to stand it for him, and will most likely be incarcerated. The crimes are the same, stealing, but because one person has some social status and position or knows those with it, he is treated more leniently although he stole more, and to simply satisfy his greed and lusts for material possessions. But mih people, that’s totally contrary to what our God declared, and also what our Bit advises; ‘and plead the cause of the poor and needy.’ We’re supposed to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Job acknowledged that as one of his strong points in his wealthy days. ‘Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.’ (Job 29:12) That’s how all God’s children should operate. But sadly we don’t, which sometimes adds a black mark to Jesus’ name. We talk a good talk, but when the time comes to stand up and defend the wronged, we’re nowhere to be found. In Isaiah’s call to repentance, he also declares this principle. ‘Learn to do well; seek judgement (justice), relieve the oppressed (reprove the oppressor), judge (vindicate, defend) the fatherless, plead for the widow.’ (Isa.1:17) What part of that don’t we understand eh mih people? It’s as plain as day. Jeremiah also held forth on this subject. ‘He judged (defended) the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was this not to know me? saith the Lord.’ (Jer.22:16) It certainly was Friends. We can’t truly know our God unless we obey his dictates with a right heart, right motives, and throughout the Good Book He shows He has a special soft spot for widows, orphans and strangers, those with no one to help them. Remember Jesus continually said that He came to be a servant, to heal the sick and suffering, to help and save the poor and downtrodden through His unselfish acts of righteousness. And then Jesus particularly warned the Jewish rulers of Israel: ‘Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement.’ (John 7:24) Ah my Friends, even so ought we to do, that we might uphold Jesus’ commitments and glorify our God. Much LOVE!…to truly follow Jesus…we must truly do like He did…
Ah Friends, it’s Friday already, coming up to the time of rest, rejuvenation and celebration of the Sabbath. I hope you wore your spiritual armour all week and consequently stood strong against the enemy. Today I have a real interesting quote to share. The German philosopher, writer and lawyer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) is alleged to have made this statement. ‘Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them become what they are capable of.’ Wow! Not only is it true my people, but it’s also an attitude, a principle that all we believers should adopt because it fits in quite nicely with our belief system and the works of Jesus. I guess we can term it a Jesus attitude (smile) since that’s exactly how He behaved. And a wonderful example of that is in the choosing of His disciples. Jesus didn’t look for the most educated, talented or wealthy, but for those who were considered the lower classes, the unwashed, uneducated, menial workers like tax collectors and fishermen, those who were normally excluded from the upper echelons of society. What did He say to Peter and Andrew when He recruited them? ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ (Mat.4:19) Jesus took them, unwashed and uneducated, and improved them. He didn’t look at their current limitations, but rather saw their possibilities after He had finished teaching them. Oh Friends, that’s how we are also expected to behave. We must not judge others, especially the struggling and unfortunate, by their current standing, instead we ought to see what they can become, envision their capabilities with help, and offer that help. It’s all part and parcel of our duty and fellowship as followers of Jesus. That principle is closely linked to Today’s Bit from Proverbs Chapter 31, supposedly written by one King Lemuel, relating his mother’s advice. However, the scholars claim to know nothing about him, except that Israel never had a king by that name. Anyway, regardless of the true author’s identity, the advice is still sound and in keeping with Jesus’ teaching. ‘Open thy mouth, judge righteously…’ Oh Friends, justice and righteousness are mainstays of our God’s nature. Listen to Him speaking through Moses on the laws of holiness and justice. ‘Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgement: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.’ (Lev.19: 15) Yes my people, we’re not to make judgements based on a person’s appearance or his position in society, but strictly in truth and righteousness. When Moses recounted God’s promises to his people, he put forth the same theory. ‘And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes (cases) between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.’ (Deut.1:16) But Friends, we too often see in our society different standards and judgements meted out to different people merely because of their wealth, political, or social standing. It’s obvious that the poor and needy receive a much more intolerant attitude in our justice system. Just look at the difference in the handling of white and blue-collar crime. The fraud artist, milking people for millions of dollars receives bail and a comparatively light sentence, while the down on his luck person that steals to feed himself and/or his family will probably be refused bail, or if granted, has no one to stand it for him, and will most likely be incarcerated. The crimes are the same, stealing, but because one person has some social status and position or knows those with it, he is treated more leniently although he stole more, and to simply satisfy his greed and lusts for material possessions. But mih people, that’s totally contrary to what our God declared, and also what our Bit advises; ‘and plead the cause of the poor and needy.’ We’re supposed to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Job acknowledged that as one of his strong points in his wealthy days. ‘Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.’ (Job 29:12) That’s how all God’s children should operate. But sadly we don’t, which sometimes adds a black mark to Jesus’ name. We talk a good talk, but when the time comes to stand up and defend the wronged, we’re nowhere to be found. In Isaiah’s call to repentance, he also declares this principle. ‘Learn to do well; seek judgement (justice), relieve the oppressed (reprove the oppressor), judge (vindicate, defend) the fatherless, plead for the widow.’ (Isa.1:17) What part of that don’t we understand eh mih people? It’s as plain as day. Jeremiah also held forth on this subject. ‘He judged (defended) the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was this not to know me? saith the Lord.’ (Jer.22:16) It certainly was Friends. We can’t truly know our God unless we obey his dictates with a right heart, right motives, and throughout the Good Book He shows He has a special soft spot for widows, orphans and strangers, those with no one to help them. Remember Jesus continually said that He came to be a servant, to heal the sick and suffering, to help and save the poor and downtrodden through His unselfish acts of righteousness. And then Jesus particularly warned the Jewish rulers of Israel: ‘Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement.’ (John 7:24) Ah my Friends, even so ought we to do, that we might uphold Jesus’ commitments and glorify our God. Much LOVE!…to truly follow Jesus…we must truly do like He did…
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