Pro Verbs 3:27-35

The last part of Chapter 3:

Do not withhold good from those who need it,
when you have the ability to help.
Do not say to your neighbor, “Go! Return tomorrow
and I will give it,” when you have it with you at the time.
Do not plot evil against your neighbor
when he dwells by you unsuspectingly.
Do not accuse anyone without legitimate cause,
if he has not treated you wrongly.
Do not envy a violent man,
and do not choose to imitate any of his ways;
for one who goes astray is an abomination to the Lord,
but he reveals his intimate counsel to the upright.
The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
Although he is scornful to arrogant scoffers,
yet he shows favor to the humble.
The wise inherit honor,
but he holds fools up to public contempt.

There isn’t anything magical about the following questions. They’re just a means toward an end: reading the passage, thinking about what it says, what it means, and how it’s useful.

1. What happened in the text?
2. What do I learn about God?
3. What should I do about it?

Here’s what I was thinking:

1. What happened in the text?
   We are admonished to do right by people and to behave rightly for God’s blessing.
2. What do I learn about God?
   He wants people with means to help others without means, and promptly.
   He doesn’t like false accusations or violent people.
   He can’t stand “the one who goes astray.”
   He curses the households of wicked people, but blesses those of the righteous.
   He favors the humble over arrogant scoffers.
   He honors the wise, but allows foolishness to be seen.
3. What should I do about it?
   My personality is one that involves quick judgments. Right or wrong, I tend to get there quickly based on the information I have. That means sometimes I assess people based on incomplete information, which means I have an inaccurate judgment.
   Judging people, rather than behavior, is always a bad idea. But this passage does support one kind of judging: I may judge myself. I need to hold myself to the standard of providing for my neighbor who needs something. Given Jesus’ definition of a neighbor, that’s a high bar to clear. Do I really care enough about other people to do something about it?

Another thought:

• These chunks have been way too big to chew on. I’ll plan to slice them down further so I’m not thinking about 12 things at once, and see how that goes.