Proverbs 11:20-21 

²⁰ The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless. ²¹ Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.

Lie

         You have heard of the term “White Lie!” No! How do you explain white lie? White lie is telling selective detail for greater purposes. Before Israel entered the Promised Land, Joshua sent men to spy the land, especially Jericho. The king of Jericho was told that Israelite men entered the house of Rahab; he gave an order to look for the spies. But, Rahab told the messengers in Joshua 2:4-5,

⁴“Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. ⁵ At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.”

         Rahab did not tell the messengers of the king of Jericho where she hid the Israelite spies. Where did Rahab get courage when she hid them? She did not even worry that the king of Jericho may punish her? What do you think? What Rahab did was act of faith. Was it right? Reflect on what it says in James 2:25:

²⁵Was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?

         There are things that are logically wrong in the eyes of humans, but God delights in them. When we went to mission as family, we declared ourselves as tourists and not missionaries because we had tourist visa not missionary visa. What do you think? To hide identity for the gospel’s sake, will God be delighted?

1. Delight

²⁰ The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse, but he delights in those whose ways are blameless.

         How strong can you accept that the Lord detests the perverse of heart and delights in blameless ways? What does it benefit us particularly to know what God detests and what he delights in? What had the Lord decreed for perverse, crooked, distorted and disgusting people that he detests or hates?

The Scripture teaches that God loved the world that he gave his only Son. Well, God loved us but we should not disregard that he also punishes the sinner.

Can anyone separate sinners from sin? If you appeal in the court of law, and say, “Hey judge, punish the crime and let go of the criminal!” Does it even make sense? The Lord had already decreed punishment appropriate for sinners.

Nonetheless, let’s reflect on what Romans 5:8 says, ⁸God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

         Reflect on this statement: To whom did God demonstrate his own love for? It says “for us.”Who are those that the pronouns “us” and “we” pertain to? The pronoun “us” and “we” pertain to believers. Substitute the pronouns “us” and “we” with believers. Then the statement is: “God demonstrates his own love for believers in this: While believers were still sinners, Christ died for believers.”

         Did Christ die for both believers and non-believers, all people in the world? Yes? Believers accept it. Non-believers reject it. The death of Christ is useless to them.    Believers listen and internalize what Christ has declared in John 15:5-8,

⁵I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

         It is for the glory of God the Father. God delights and values disciples who bear much fruit. Imagine it. You are delighted when your plants bear much fruits.

Huge Avocado Tree

         In northern Philippines, there’s a huge avocado tree (about 30 feet tall). Its fruit is very milky and tasty. It has lots of branches, but has few fruits only. Why? According to expert farmers, prune or remove unfruitful watersprout branches or sucker branches; it helps the tree directs nutrients to its fruit. Watersprout or sucker branches are vigorous but they are not ready to bear fruits yet, and they take much of the tree nutrients that are supposed to nourish its fruits grow bigger.

         Reflect on what Christ declares in John 15:1-2, ¹I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 

         Pruning the unfruitful branch is necessity for the tree; likewise, spiritual pruning is necessity for fruitful disciples. Christ requires us to make disciples. We pray for opportunities to make disciples; we should not worry about other things. The Lord will deliver us from other things that cause worries. Can you agree?

2.  Deliver

²¹ Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free.

         The term “go free” is properly translated as “delivered or rescued.” Take note: Punishment for the wicked is decreed; deliverance of the righteous is promised. If we do what is right, we don’t worry about undesirable results. Why?

There could be undesirable consequences along the way, but the Lord delights in the blameless and righteous ways so that he delivers and rescues the righteous.

When God is delighted, what does he do as deliverance for the righteous?

         When the Lord delivers and rescues, he rewards and leads us to situations where we surely enjoy life. In contrast, punishment for wickedness had already been decreed. Reflect on what it declares in John 3:18, ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

         Everyone has been condemned for eternal punishment already before the crucifixion of Christ. Do intellectuals understand and believe that every person is destined to be eternally punished? We believe that the Scripture is true by faith not by intellect. Christ offers eternal life to everyone but only believers accept it.

         The Lord promised to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land but not everyone believed. Before the Israelites entered Canaan, 12 spies testified of their personal experience in Numbers 13:27-28 ²⁷“We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. ²⁸ But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. 

         The men who spied Canaan saw the abundance of milk and honey. They even brought some pomegranate and fig fruits, and a single cluster of grapes that needed two men to carry. But ten spies were so scared of the huge powerful Canaanites they saw. They spread a bad report and discouraged the Israelites.

         Caleb and Joshua did not agree with the 10 spies. Let’s reflect on what it narrated in Numbers 14:6-9, ⁶ Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes ⁷ and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. ⁹ Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

The Israelites who were 20 years old and older when they left Egypt died in the wilderness because they cannot believe that God can save them from the huge Canaanites except for Joshua and Caleb. Joshua and Caleb led the rest of the Israelites and entered the Promised Land. The Promised Land was offered to all the Israelites, but only those who trusted the Lord entered the Promised Land.

Similarly, eternal life is offered to everyone but only by faith we believe it. How do you interpret what Christ declares in John 17:3? ³This is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

         The term “know” pertains to intimate relationship with God; not just head knowledge. This intimacy of relationship with God includes trust that everything he allows to happen is beneficial to us. Pray for stronger faith in Christ. Pray also for godly wisdom to discern which practical step you should take from now on.

><((‘> .. ><((‘> … ><(((“> tmec\2024 <“)))>< … <‘))>< .. <‘))><