Topic: Wise Relationships
Proverbs 25-29 were collected a couple of hundred years after Solomon wrote them by a group of men under King Hezekiah. According to Proverbs 25:1, “These too are proverbs of Solomon, which the men of King Hezekiah of Judah, transcribed.”
The focus of today’s thought is Proverbs 27. Solomon’s advice is that wise relationships are rooted in our relationship with God. I think we all have had some close relationships throughout life. Some of those relationships were good for us, some of them were toxic and others were fun. The most beneficial relationships are the ones immersed in God. Relationships are gifts from God, so wise relationships are oriented around God. Proverbs 27 focuses on specific characteristics of a wise relationship.
Wise relationships are marked by:
- Honest discussions. One of the marks of a wise relationship is that you are with someone with whom you can have honest discussions or an honest dialogue. Proverbs 27:5, “Better is open rebuke, than love that is concealed.” The context speaks of a friend willing to lovingly tell you what you do not want to (but need to) hear. The one who offers rebuke does so wisely (25:12) and never demeans another (11:12). There are times when a real friend will step up and tell you the truth. When something needs to be said, the one who is a wise friend will say it. It is not love when you do not speak or act when the time calls for it.
- Dependability. Have you ever had a person in your life that you could not depend on when you needed them, but they expected you to be dependable for them? Wise relationships are marked by dependability. There is nothing more deflating than counting on someone to be there for you and they are a no-show. The word “brother” in verse 10 does not only refer to brother in a blood sense. Whether in marriage or friendship, you need a dependable friend who honors their commitments, who isn’t going to up and run when the going gets tough but stays with you through thick and thin.
- Making one another stronger. Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” When you sharpen your knives, you don’t lay them on the counter and then lay the sharpening rod on the counter on the other side of the room and just let them smile at each other. You have to create friction to sharpen the knives. But even in the potential friction, there is sweetness. Proverbs 29:9 says that a friend’s counsel is the source of sweetness in your relationship. The question must be asked, if you are friends with someone and you see them doing something self-destructive but never say anything, are you their friend? The same is true in reverse for your own lifestyle.
See you Sunday!
Dr. Scott Kallem