Proverbs 18:23-24

²³The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly. ²⁴One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

The Lion and the Mouse

Once upon a time, a little mouse was playing nearby and accidentally ran across the nose of the sleeping lion. The lion woke up and caught the mouse. The mouse was terrified and begged, “Please, forgive me, mighty lion! I promise I will never do it again. Maybe I can help you someday!”

The lion felt kind-hearted and released the mouse. He thought, “How can a tiny mouse ever help me, the king of the jungle?” Days later, the lion was caught in a hunter’s net and roared loudly, “Help!” The mouse heard it, rushed over and slowly chewed the net bit by bit until the lion was free.

Mercy and kindness is never wasted. Christ declared in Matthew 5:7,

⁷Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

The amount of mercy we have to those who need mercy practically proves the amount of mercy we received from the Lord. The powerful lion was merciful to the tiny mouse, and the tiny mouse was merciful when the powerful lion was helpless. Everyone will need mercy and help one day.

No mankind is not without need. And God is merciful to the merciful person. Someone may be curious if God is also merciful even to people who are not Christians. The Roman Centurion Cornelius told Apostle Peter in Acts 10:30-32, ³⁰Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me ³¹and said, “Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. ³²Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.”

The Lord told the Roman Centurion Cornelius to listen to Apostle Peter. Peter proclaimed the gospel of salvation in Christ to the household of Cornelius, and the Holy Spirit came to all who heard the gospel of Christ. Cornelius was religious. He was powerful commander of 100 soldiers.

Powerful and rich people like Cornelius need God’s mercy also. Rich or poor, powerful or ordinary, famous or not, we all need mercy from God.

1. Rich

²³The poor plead for mercy, but the rich answer harshly.

Rich or poor, big and small, young and old, everyone has practical and spiritual needs. We all need mercy from God even from other people.

The term poor can mean “needy.” Christ knew that we are needy and poor spiritually, so he advised to store up treasure for ourselves in heaven. We use material wealth to store up spiritual treasures. Practically, we also need compassion and kindness. We pray that God gives doctors wisdom to properly treat patients. We must pray that God blesses all medical staffs.

Businessmen venture in business for profit. If employers earn more money, they can be more generous to employees. So, we pray that God blesses employers so that employees may have stable jobs. How do you interpret Colossians 4:1, ¹Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Someone may argue, “This command is intended for employers, and I’m only an employee!” True! The Lord wants masters to provide what’s right and fair to servants. As result, servants will benefit when masters obey the Lord, right? Employees should not wait for employers to obey the Lord. Instead, we pray for employers that the Lord makes them abundantly rich so that they can have extra money to pay for their employees’ benefits.

Together, seriously reflect on Acts 20:35, ³⁵Remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

What don’t you prefer between master and servant? Do you prefer to be master or servant? Masters give salary to servants. Servants are blessed to receive salary, but masters giving salary to servants are more blessed when servants serve gladly because it means more profit for them.

We pray that the Lord would bless employers to notice and provide what is right and fair to diligent employees who serve with all their hearts.

In contrast, grumbling and complaints against the master is violation to God’s command in Colossians 3:22-25, ²²Obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. ²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. ²⁵Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.

Violation of this command is unpleasantly hurtful. Joy and peace at work is absent. When we pray that God blesses our earthly masters even more, God works wonderfully and cause our earthly masters to favor us. For first time job seekers, any job will do. But if you’re planning for better future or if you have a family to support, you need a stable and reliable job.

2. Reliable

²⁴One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,

but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Do you have a reliable friend? Do you have a friend you can run to when you have difficulties? Do you have a friend who is ready to lend a helping hand even when you don’t ask for help? There are friends who may flatter us, and there are friends who really care about our welfare.

When David was still young, he found a genuine friend in Jonathan. Jonathan was a son of King Saul. Jonathan showed that he was true friend to David. He gave the best gifts he can give to David in 1 Samuel 18:3-4,

³Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. ⁴Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.

Precious gifts was never enough for Jonathan to prove that he really cared for the welfare of David. However, the father of Jonathan King Saul hated David. Saul was envious of David’s victory and military success. He tried to kill David, but Jonathan did his best to prevent his father’s plan. He said in 1 Samuel 20:32-33, ³²“Why should he be put to death? What has he done?” Jonathan asked his father. ³³But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David.

After that incident, Jonathan helped David to escape for safety from King Saul. Interestingly, Jonathan was not even a close relative of David but he had high regard for David as his friend. In contrast, the older brother of David looked down on him disregarded him as troublemaker. It narrated in 1 Samuel 17:28, ²⁸Eliab, David’s oldest brother, burned with anger at him and asked David, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.”

Pray that the Lord gives you friends who care. True and trustworthy friends are hard to find. Not everyone who seems friendly are genuine. The Lord Jesus Christ had chosen 12 apostles, only Peter, James and John were very close to him, including Lazarus. But God allowed Judas to be part of his circle for the fulfillment of his grand plan for salvation of mankind.

God may allow unfaithful friends to penetrate our circle. Who knows if God causes pretenders to be genuine friends eventually. We should focus instead on our faith in Christ as Lord of our life and friend we can trust.

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