Proverbs 6:1-5 

¹My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, ²you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth. ³So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go—to the point of exhaustion—and give your neighbor no rest! ⁴Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. ⁵Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

Stranger

A stranger texted me; he introduced himself as pastor. He also said that he wanted to meet me. So, I gave our address and the time I am available. A moment later, he texted again and said that, he will come within 30 to 40 minutes. I waited for more or less two hours before the strange pastor arrived at our meeting.

Well, I did not waste time; I did my usual task while waiting for a stranger.

I wondered and reflected on what has transpired; what lesson did I learn?

That event was another proof that not all appointments are taken seriously.

How do you personally interpret what Christ said in Matthew 5:36-37? ³⁶Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Individuals, who don’t take their appointment very seriously, may not be very concerned of their reputation toward others anyway. What do you think?

We’re instructed not to swear anything. It’s not great testimony for us. It’s better not to make any promise. No swear, no pledge; those are traps, snare.

1.  No Pledge

¹My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger, ²you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.

There are love ones you may trust and individuals you must not fully trust. If you sense even a very little hint of doubt, that is your signal not to agree. Doubt can be your indicator to pray and reconsider before making major decisions.

Think about it: What benefit do you attain if you agree as guarantor in a legal transaction? Are you willing to accept the result if worse comes to worst?

If expectation differs from what may transpire, will you be at peace with yourself? What else? Does it facilitate or help you build a greater testimony if you agree?

If undecided, will it destroy reputation? If people challenge your sincerity of friendship or relationship and pressure you to be their guarantor, that is a sign that you must reconsider. What should genuine friends do, pressure or sacrifice?

The Lord Jesus Christ declares in John 15:13-16, ¹³Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command. ¹⁵I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

True friends can sacrifice for the betterment of their friend. If they pressure you, it is better to hesitate. Christ exemplified godly love. He sacrificially died for his friends. Why then did he say, ^“You are my friends if you do what I command?” 

Christ knows who his real friends are. He does not pressure us to obey his commands. He wants us to prove for our own sake if we truly are chosen. Friends that Christ has chosen bear fruit. Disciples bear fruit of disciples. By faith, we obey the Lord; we believe that his commands are meant for our good. It gives us rest to obey the Lord. In comparison, pressure from others gives us no rest.

2.  No Rest

³So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go—to the point of exhaustion—and give your neighbor no rest! ⁴Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. ⁵Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.

If in case you were pressured to pledge and guarantee something, pray that God gives you practical steps to free yourself from the pledge you made. To be freed from the trap and terrible consequences of a pledge is biblical instruction.

Surely, we all have tendencies to make foolish decisions that may hurt or harm us. We have to pray and get godly wisdom. We can learn from the Israelites.

Practically, how do you personally apply the reminder of Moses to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 4:5-6? ⁵ See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. ⁶Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” 

Wise Learner

The law of the Lord makes all obedient believers wise. The Spirit of wisdom helps us believe that. By faith, we learn and diligently obey all godly instructions.

Practical learning in this generation is very convenient. Just click online videos about a topic you want to learn then, you will have many resources.

How can you distinguish which online video is educational and beneficial? Godly wisdom gives us right decision. Pray for godly wisdom. If in case we forgot to pray and started our project, we must still pray that God may guide our steps.

How do you interpret what King Solomon testified in Ecclesiastes 4:4? ⁴And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another.

To follow online influencer, is it practical proof of envy? We can be envious of things favorable to us. If you have doubts, and you want to be very sure you follow the right pattern, pray for godly wisdom to decide what is best for you.

Envy can be experienced by anybody; even powerful kings can be envious.

It narrated in 2 King 16:10-12, ¹⁰King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He saw an altar in Damascus and sent to Uriah the priest a sketch of the altar, with detailed plans for its construction. ¹¹So Uriah the priest built an altar in accordance with all the plans that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus and finished it before King Ahaz returned. ¹²When the king came back from Damascus and saw the altar, he approached it and presented offerings on it.

The altar in the temple in Jerusalem may not be impressive to King Ahaz; he was attracted to the altar in Damascus. King Ahaz ignored the commands and decrees of the Lord. He may have said to himself, “I am free to choose whatever is attractive to my eyes!” His freedom to choose was influenced by his disobedience to the Lord; and that led him to his downfall subsequently.

Envious instinct can be a trap that would ensnare anyone who is controlled by sinful nature. Everyone has natural tendency to follow human sinful instinct. We get rest when we obey the Lord; we sense freedom from the pressure of sin.

Christ challenged us in John 8:31-32, ³¹If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. ³²Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

By faith we believe that Christ had given us freedom. What is this freedom?

When we hold to and obey his teaching in our life, we are free from pressure of sin. Additionally, Christ is the truth. We can know him as the truth when we hold to and obey his teaching, his instructions. He is the way, the truth and the life.

So, we pray that he guides us to the truth and the right path we follow in our pilgrimage and preparation for our eternal destination with him forever.

We must continually pray and seek his help to free us from anything that may cause us to slow down or may distract us in our spiritual journey.

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