 Here we are Proverbs chapter 26 We'll begin by looking at verses one and two. I'll give you an introduction. We'll look at those verses then we'll go through the chapter Proverbs chapter 26 beginning at verse one reading to verse two as snow in summer and rain in harvest So honor is not fitting for a fool Like a flitting sparrow like a flying swallow So a curse without cause Shall not alight. And so as we go into chapter 26 Let me give you a brief introduction here You see this particular chapter chapter 26 deals with various kinds of personal Relationships and you're gonna see that as we go through the chapter There are basically three parts that it can be divided into and he begins to share Concerning a variety of relationships and so he speaks concerning relationships with those who are foolish he speaks concerning relationships with those who are lazy and He also speaks concerning relationships with those who are tail-bearers or Gossips and what he's doing here is he's basically warning. He's warning his readers About these kinds of people What he's going to do is use these kinds of people the foolish the lazy the gossip He's going to use them as examples of lives that do not glorify the Lord And so the fool the lazy and the slanderer are used as warnings for the one that God will bless When he uses the word fool, let me just start briefly by giving you a couple of things to think about a fool When you see a fool in scripture is normally regarded as one who is stupid or arrogant They're also referred to as simple and senseless and they are normally in scripture the ones who despise wisdom The slothful we don't use the word slothful anymore. Do we we simply talk about? Never mind. The slothful is a lazy person. They're the ones who are are Sluggards you see is that word also there there they can be the slacker the those who are feeble They're the lazy a tail bearer is a slanderer Also is referred to as an informer a gossip a backbiter a murmur a whisperer One of your kids. I mean that's what they are So let's begin by looking at the warnings concerning fellowshiping with the foolish He says in verse one as snow in summer and rain in harvest So now this is an important phrase. So honor is not fitting For a fool. I'm gonna spend some time looking at this one more time at this Then I will let the rest. I want to develop this with you So when he says as snow in summer and rain in harvest snow in summer rain in harvest those are not normal and therefore are inappropriate and So the way he's speaking here is a foolish person is not worthy of high praise But the foolish person is the kind of person popular culture has a tendency of giving honor to Which is interesting? so what he's saying here is Don't elevate to a position of prominence and don't exalt as a model Those who are not worthy Because in doing so everything is going to be flipped upside down When you think in terms of honoring the scripture teaches that we honor God The scripture teaches where to honor our parents The scripture teaches that we should honor those who are virtuous The scripture teaches that we are to honor those in authority those who have earned it We're to honor even fellow believers interestingly enough Romans 12 verse 10 says that be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love in honor giving preference to one another and so there is honor that we give and there are those that it is due and So the scripture teaches that we are to honor those who actually are worthy of honor Honor is something that is to be deserved Honor is normally something that has been earned But we also give honor to positions of authority even when those holding it Don't deserve it. I don't know how many of you have Respected and honored every president of the United States I guarantee you that I haven't held them on a personal level in the highest honor Meaning I haven't looked at them saying that is really an honorable person, but I've always honored the office. I Honor the office of president When I was in the military we I was an enlisted man And so we have those who have positions of authority over us and Sometimes those who held position of authority over me really didn't deserve honor It wasn't that I was giving to that person himself because he had earned honor It's not that I gave them honor for themselves and their own qualities, but I did honor their rank And so there's a way of honoring that you do Even when the person himself or herself may not deserve the honor because they haven't earned it Honor is given though to those that it is due to and again We honor the Lord because obviously honor is due to God we honor our parents and and and all of that In in 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 17 The apostle wrote honor all people Love the brotherhood fear God Honor the king and we need to remember that the apostle Peter lived during the time of Nero one who had no way that he was Deserving of honor and yet the command was given to the believer to give honor to all people including the king in Romans 13 verse 7 render therefore to all their due taxes to whom taxes are due good thing. It's not April right now Customs to whom customs fear to whom fear honor to whom honor Sadly in our society honor is often given to those who haven't earned it nor do they really deserve it We give honor to the wrong people sometimes don't we we can give honor to spoiled athletes Athletes who say, you know, I deserve more. I'm only making a hundred and fifty three million dollars They're on poverty poverty level We give honor to ungodly actors. We give honor to TV hosts profane musicians We need to reserve our honor for those who really truly deserve it And and we need to I might as well say it this way pray for our nation because we continually Give honor to the wrong people. All you need to do is look and see who certain who Who are nominated as the most important and influential people by various magazines? And you'll see that many of those who are credited with being models for women or men They simply don't deserve that honor. I mean, I saw when Howard what's his name? No, what's the guy with playboy? How did you know no you have? Bang Just wondering You have no He was written up when he died as some great man He was written up as a great man And he is obviously one who corrupted was involved in the corruption of the morals of the United States like very few others Have ever been we honor the wrong People we do habitually therefore we need to pray for our nation because we constantly are looking to the wrong ones For to be our examples and so he says honor is not fitting for a fool Verse to like a a flitting sparrow like a flying swallow So a curse without cause shall not alight now. This is an interesting Interesting verse and I'm gonna spend a few moments Looking at this one he speaks of a curse a curse without cause He's saying an undeserved curse is ineffective When you see flying swallows or flitian sparrows He's saying that these are those who are incapable really of reaching their destination And so the curse really is not gonna have an effect. He's saying this is a correction of superstition You know there are believers every once in a while in our own fellowship Who will approach me and they're afraid because they think someone's placed a curse on them and And and there are some some cultures that really put a lot of emphasis on curses. I don't know what what your Cultural background outside of your American heritage may be but I grew up in a home with a mom who had been taught cultural superstitions and Many there are many societies and many cultures and ethnicities that have that I don't know what your particular ethnicity may be or your cultural heritage may be but we had la Llorona You know, we had a kukui. You know, I The kukui was a boogeyman and and and he was under my bed and And he would grab you if the lights were off and so I would stand next to the light switch I'm not kidding every night. I did it last night, but I Would stand with my hand on the light switch and my foot on the doorjam. I Turned the lights off and two or three steps and I jump and I would land in my bed and kukui never got me and so there are There are so many superstitions my mom had to my mom was involved with and didn't know it Be so she gave me those superstitions You know, you put an egg on your body when you've got a high temperature and you crack the egg and just crazy crazy But it was part of my background. I don't know if you had any of those at all. I hope you didn't they messed me up for years, you know All these superstitions and and so sometimes I've had people say can you come and sprinkle holy at me? Can you sprinkle holy water on my house? There's a demon there? And I said no no demons not there demons right here talking to me right now asking me to go no Because we have these superstitions now the interesting thing is is not that long ago and it's still in the church there are those who teach concerning generational curses and and How you have to break them and normally have to send some money to the guy who can pray the prayer that will break the curse and and and there are still very gullible naive innocent in many ways believers who who have a real belief in in mysticism and power and supernaturalism and all to the degree that they're afraid and so if somebody says that That they're they got the evil eyes or somebody's gonna put a curse on them They will come up and they will ask on occasion. Can somebody curse me? Can somebody put a curse on me because they really believe that somebody can and so is that possible You need to remember that Curses are curses are ineffective especially on believers Because the Lord God himself his spirit dwells within us and greater is he that is in me than he that is in the World so the enemy has no power and authority of me the wicked one first John 5 says touches me not He doesn't have the ability to do anything to me when God has blessed you the enemy can't curse you There was a prophet in the Old Testament a man by the name of Balaam and he's referred to in scripture in a way that many theologians have spoken of him as the prophet for hire because Balaak a King if you will wanted to hire him to bring a curse upon the children of Israel who are passing through the land and So he went and spoke to Balaam and said to Balaam I will make you a very rich man paraphrasing I will make you a very rich man if you will curse the children of Israel and it's interesting how in numbers 23 verse 8 How how Balaam responded by saying how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced so he has no authority to he has no power to do that and Curses even if somebody's saying I I'm casting a spell on you and this and that you know And that happens a lot in Haiti by the way They want to put curses on you and people are really afraid of the voodoo and this and that But no they cannot curse you whom the Lord has not cursed and Psalm 109 verses 26 to 28 help me oh Lord my God Save me in accordance with your love Let them know that is your hand that you oh Lord have done it They may curse, but you will bless when they attack They will be put to shame, but your servant will rejoice my accusers will be clothed with disgrace And wrapped in shame as a cloak when God blesses no one can curse you so have no fear of that in verse 3 a Whip for the horse a bridle for the donkey and a rod for the fool's back hmm a Horse and a donkey and a fool will not respond to reason So he's saying fools have to be directed sometimes even by physical force and Proverbs 10 verse 13 Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment Now verses four and five are interesting and have caused a lot of confusion And when you've read this perhaps you've been confused, so let me confuse you more. We'll look at verses four and five Do not answer a fool according to his folly lest you also be like him okay? Verse five answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own eyes Interesting huh almost sounds like a contradiction doesn't it? Let's keep going no What this basically does is it it represents two sides of the same coin when When he says in in verse verse four do not answer a fool according to his folly lest you also be like him He would be saying do not descend to a fool's level of thought Do not act like a fool yourself or you will be foolish But in verse five when he says answer a fool according to his folly lest he be wise in his own eyes When you do answer Carefully consider what they are saying as you respond And so it's not that you don't necessarily ever answer He's simply saying you need to take into consideration the context of what's taking place to determine the proper way To respond you see sometimes we ignore foolish questions, and we are certainly not to get involved in ignorant disputes And that's wise counsel We should never descend to the level of people who are angrily disputing with us and getting rude and all So we should take the high road So be careful not to allow yourself to be goaded into acting foolishly in Second Timothy chapter 2 verses 23 and 24 Paul said it like this He said don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments Because you know they produce quarrels and the Lord's servant must not quarrel Instead he must be kind to everyone able to teach and not resentful When when you're speaking to somebody you may have had so many conversations that you begin to see That sometimes when people are speaking to you, especially those who don't have a relationship with the Lord You you have more than likely if you've done this often enough come to realize That there are times that people will couch their question in a certain way that you know They're really posing this question to argue with you. It's not like they're looking for a real answer It's that they're goading you by saying something to try and provoke or prompt you to respond Because they already have an argument that they want to give to you. You've been there, right? We all have in one form or another and so especially Theologically as a minister a past that there are times when I've had people who trying to goad me They're trying to goad me into an argument. They'll ask me a question And just a way that they phrase the question. I already know where they're going to go with that question Marie and I together have on occasion been driving and will be listening to a bible question and answer program a bible answer man kind of thing and The god will be saying something to the host and I'll turn to Marie and I'll say that guy's a jojoba's witness And she'll say, how do you know that? Because I am god. No, how do you know that? And I'll say the way he's phrasing the question That one's a Mormon. How do you know that? By the way, he's posing the question You can you know that he's trying to throw a line To reel him in by asking a certain question because I've had a lot of conversations and so over time You already know where they're going And that's why I eventually over the years I finally developed a way of responding by simply asking Do you want me to give you a real question? Or rather answer to your question, or are you just wanting to argue? Because if you're wanting to argue We're not going to do that Because a man of god is not to quarrel. We're not to be Argumentative. We're not to be contentious. We're not to do that. This is not what we do But if you have an honest question, I'm more than willing to spend as much time with you as I can If you're actually asking for a position or the way we see or And that's how I do things and that's that's that's a good way to do it You see sometimes it is necessary to respond So what you do is you listen carefully to what's being said so that you can respond correctly You don't answer questions that aren't being asked So you need to know what question is being asked and and that's how it works You know, there are times when people would come up to the lord and Would want to argue with him. They'd pose questions to him Oh, we don't believe there's a Resurrection the Sadducees would say and then they would create a fictitious story When that was going around at that time that they would pose to the to the Pharisees who were believers of the resurrection And they'd say well listen because they didn't believe in the resurrection They'd pose a question while a woman got married Her husband died and all the brothers eventually married after her And there were seven men who's You know, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? That was the and that was a gotcha kind of question And so jesus, you know just you you do therefore greatly air and neither knowing the scriptures nor the power of god Jesus was able to just cut through it because he knew where they were going with it And so those are the kinds of things That you have to be aware of you answer In a fitting way and sometimes you don't answer at all. It just depends on the circumstances verse six He who sends a message by the hand of a fool Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence Sending a fool on a mission is only inviting trouble Verse seven like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of fools As legs to the crippled are useless Wisdom to a fool is also useless That's because wisdom will not direct his steps And the bible teaches us that our footsteps are to be directed by wisdom But a fool won't receive wisdom And so it's like it's just useless to him And so when he says like the legs of the lame that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth fools Legs to the crippled are useless and wisdom is useless to a fool Psalm 119 verse 133 says direct my footsteps according to your word Let no sin rule over me Ecclesiastes five one says guard your steps when you go to the house of god Go near to listen Rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools who do not know that they do wrong Verse eight like one who binds a stone in a sling is he who gives honor to a fool Again i've already said this and i'm trying to just To honor a fool doesn't make sense again. We still give them awards and platforms And they give speeches when they get And give Oscars and this and that Verse nine like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard Is a proverb in the mouth of fools. This is a good one. I like this one a lot It's painful sometimes To hear people who don't believe in the scripture start quoting it I have to be careful with this one Because there's so many examples that can be given You don't mind if I give you one. Do you no pastor? Please do okay. Um I want to be gracious and that's the whole problem. I don't want to when Pelosi Becomes a theologian And speaks about people having divine light accept her within perhaps you watched the news and she said that about some gangsters a while back I heard her say that about having a spark of divinity within them And I won theologically have a real problem with that because there's no right. No, no one's righteous No, not one Yes, we've been created in the image of god, but we are deeply fallen. We're in sin. We need salvation And so the term she used and i'm speaking to those who might have heard about it for those who didn't hear it I'll make this quick You know when when our president said something about gangsters and And all and he and I I really frankly I must say this I have to say this um I don't appreciate anybody calling human beings by anything that demeans the humanity. I understand that I do and I also understand the context I understand the person personality why they do that and so I have to Understand what's being said in the context of who it is saying it you have to do that That's what you do and if you don't learn to do that you're going to be mad all the time So you have to just learn these things with that said I'm trying to understand Pelosi Because she came out and started speaking about human beings having a spark of divinity within And she just doesn't give me the impression that she understands theology She doesn't give me the impression that she's a bible reading bible believing bible practicing person And they maybe somebody in this room thinks she is I personally don't think so As a matter of fact I'm pretty sure she's not Because the positions that she is bowels are the things that are contrary to scripture Therefore she doesn't read the bible and if she does she doesn't believe it and practice it. It's kind of obvious I would say Even a child is known by their deeds whether they're good or evil And so the things that she believes and thinks she's espousing to me You know just reveals to me that she needs the lord therefore I want her to be saved so she can have eternal life and her life can be blessed That's that's christianity from in a short synopsis But when they quote scripture To me it's basically Verse nine like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools It it just it's it's painful to hear foolish people quoting scripture And I do feel uncomfortable When I hear an ungodly person as her twisting scripture to try and make it say something that they already believe And try and find a scripture to back up what they believe is true. And so a proverb In in in the mouth of a fool is a painful thing Even like a thorn in the hand is a painful thing A proverb in the mouth of a fool is painful. It's painful the person who hears it It's painful to people like you who love the word who study your bibles who seek the lord And then you hear somebody misquoting it and and I don't know about you how you You feel but when I hear somebody misquoting scripture, it bothers me It's painful to me And marie can tell you this because I'll talk to the tv I said that's not right. What are you saying? You know, and so she doesn't watch tv with me anymore And so that's true. It's painful to hear verse 10 The great god who formed everything Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages. In other words, they ultimately reap the results of what they have sown Romans 2 verse 6 says god will render to each one According to his deeds. God is a just judge. He judges righteously and he gives to people What is due to them? verse 11 As a dog returns to his own vomit So a fool repeats his folly That's a proverb that is quoted in the new testament in second peter Um of a fool refuses to learn and will return to disgusting behavior Even when they've been Warned it is natural for the dog to return to the vomit. Isn't that a gross but very picturesque way of putting it It's gross. Who wants to think about it and no, I won't spend a lot of time Reminding you of the times you've seen the dog eat the grass and etc etc etc It is very gross And so the picture is just returning to something going to something and return and so be careful That you don't and the way peter would put it like and and a pig that returns to the Mire that it had been cleansed from a listen when the lord has saved you don't go back Don't go back You know what I discovered maybe you did tell see this briefly as if I really could but I'll try When when I got saved My my old life and my old sins became pretty clear to me that they were wrong pretty clear Because of the habits I had and and the results And so I'm saved and I have this new found sense of purity before God I I've been washed I've been cleansed and and the songs we sing about being washed in the blood of the lamb Man, I experienced that The day I got saved the day I got saved there were girls who were seated next to me that I didn't know as a Non-believer I'd been thinking different thoughts and and now I'm saved and I go and sit down next to these girls that I didn't know And and all of a sudden I'm thinking they're they're my these are sisters I actually these are sisters now They're I can have a pure relationship. I could actually treat a woman with respect And and not look at them As someone I might want to try to take advantage of to me It was revolutionary and the idea that I I don't have to drink anymore I I don't have to be a slave to alcohol anymore I don't have to I don't have to drink to give myself an excuse To express emotions that I've bottled up for so long that I don't know how to express For me, and I think there are others who who might know this For me, I didn't cry. Believe it or not I mean because this church knows me that I I get emotional and um No, I do. I mean when my heart starts, you know, and I When I start sharing the Lord it overwhelms me sometimes just the goodness and the grace of God and what he's done And and people don't understand that they don't But it just overwhelms me because I know where I was. I I know what I did I know how I harmed and when I'm I'm standing and I'm talking about the God who forgave me it overwhelms me you know, and so I know what it's like to drink I know what it's like to be a slave to alcohol because I was I know What it's like to have Immoral an immoral heart. I understand that And the idea that God forgave me It overwhelms me Why would I return to that? Why would I return to that mud? why Would I return to that vomit? But do you know what happens guys? You know this You're so I'm saved. I'm cleansed within a week or two You start wondering It wasn't that bad I could do that if I wanted and the enemy just It's kind of like he he thinks he still has you people who are out of your life Start calling you Got some dope you want to go smoke some dope? You haven't seen it for a while Now they're calling you And girls that you were interested in haven't seen for a while as a guy they They call you you see that happened to me I'll send I'm getting a call from some woman from my past. You know, I'm now saved And now why are you calling me? Because it's the enemy Why would you go back to that vomit? Don't you remember Don't you remember Don't you remember why you got saved? Don't you remember the misery and the pain and the shame Have you forgot It's easy to forget It really is we get busy doing good things Then we burn out doing good things Then we start thinking I'm doing good things help But how come nobody says thank you for doing these good things? Then you get lonely And before you know it the enemy's just been biding his time Waiting for that opportunity Provoke somebody give him a call provoke somebody go knock on the door Provoke somebody go to this store. He's going to be there This guy shows up. Hey man, what have you been up to? Nothing. Hey You want to talk for a while? Yeah Sit in the car with him Before you know what he pulls out. We used to call it a doobie. He pulls out a joint or whatever you call it today The enemy wants to get you back my father I was pastoring this church already. This is 30 some years ago Pastoring this church My dad calls me. I was on my way driving to a maple street address that we had Dad says son on your way to the office. Can you stop by? I want to ask you a question My his house is only a half mile from From our church in our office. So I said, yeah dad, I'll I'll stop by so I drove to my dad's house I go walking into his house and he's sitting at the kitchen table. He's got this uh Shop this bag. What do you call a shopping bag? I don't know what it's actually called shopping bag You know those big bags you get is it called a shopping bag? Is that called? Okay that and he says Son, he said I found this in my yard I don't know what it is But i'm pretty sure you will And so he opens up the bag And it's a it's a kilo a kilo that's inkin free And when I opened up the bag The smell of the marijuana just wafted from the bag It was almost like a big old hand going I'll never I rolled it back up and I don't mean rolled it. I rolled it I was I had been saved. I'm married. I've got my babies. I'm pastoring this church And the first thing they hit my my thought was oh my a whole kilo I took it to the office And I burned it one stick at a time. No, I No, I took it back to the office and one of our staff members was a chaplain in the police department I handed it to him. I said go turn this in and got rid of it. But I told my wife later on It's amazing how the enemy never gives up Do you know I I haven't smoked a joint longer than I can remember it's been 40 some years But I can still smell it Sometimes when it just comes wafting and it still got that little like come on, you know No, thank you. Why would I return? to the vomit Why would I do that? And why would you? And so it's a very important thing to remember what god has done. He has cleansed as he has made us new But it says as the dog returns to his own vomit a fool repeats his folly Verse 12 do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him A person who thinks that their wise is almost impossible to help why they don't listen They simply won't listen You can give them advice you encourage them, but they simply will not listen These verses again spoke about the fool verse 13 speaks of the lazy The lazy man says there's a lion in the road A fierce lion is in the streets As the door turns on its hinges so does the lazy man on his bed The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl. It wears him to bring it back to his mouth The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly And so the lazy Will use almost any excuse to get out of work But he doesn't think he's lazy Which makes it even harder to motivate him They don't like getting out of bed. They're like a door and the door will move, but it doesn't go anywhere. It's on hinges And when confronted They always have good reasons for their for their laziness. There's a lion in the road. They always have good Reasons the lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly Verse 17 he who passes by and metals in a quarrel not his own It's like one who takes a dog by the ears. You ever take a dog by the ears. What do they do? Do they say thank you? Have a tendency of fighting you so if you interfere in somebody else's quarrel You're looking for trouble And don't complain when you get hurt You have to have wisdom when it comes to intervention anybody can tell you that You have to have wisdom when it comes to intervention And so he's saying it's like grabbing a dog by the ears Verse 18 like a madman who throws firebrands arrows and death is the man who deceives his neighbor and says that was only joking Well, the word deceived speaks of dealing treacherously with someone it can speak of mocking or misleading it speaks of of playing a trick on them and so The only humor that is acceptable Is when one laughs with someone Not when someone laughs at someone because there are some things that that's that's not really funny It's really more cruel and we have to know the difference between the two and I speak as one who played a lot of pranks on my wife and I Those are the good old days. I don't do it anymore Because uh, she didn't like it and uh, she never had a sense of humor. No, she didn't like it And uh, this proverb applies to me, you know, I have to be careful. I can't say I was only joking I could tell you stories, but I won't Verse 20 now we look at gossip Where there is no wood the fire goes out Where there is no tail bearer Strife ceases as charcoal is to burning coals wood is to fire So is a contentious man to kindle strife the words of a tail bearer are like tasty trifles They go down To the inmost or into the inmost body and so uh This proverb by the way verse 20 is something that I I really appreciate it's one of the proverbs that has spoken to me over the years You can restrict fights and arguments By not supplying fuel You know that old saying it's like throwing kerosene on a fire You can restrict arguments by simply not supplying fuel And it's wise to know when you shouldn't say anything Because if somebody's upset and you keep provoking them you're going to reap the consequences It's it's just not wise to keep on prodding them and pushing them and I I've seen that over my lifetime Many times where the person just won't let go You've got to learn to leave it alone where there is no wood the fire goes out He says where there's no tail bearer strife ceases Some people think That it's a good thing to tell other people the things that have been said About them and and and and it may not be from a perspective of being Mean-spirited themselves. They just think it's it's a good thing that they should say to somebody else Did you know what they said about you? Years ago one of my secretaries who has You know, she moved a long time ago. So I can say this 30 years ago or so Um, so now I can say it. No, watch. She's visiting. She's here. I'm sorry, but No, she um, you know In the earlier days of our ministry Um, I was writing letters because people actually would read the newspaper at that time much more now than they do Uh, they use, you know social media now But the newspaper was the way that that I was able to reach into our into our area And so I'd write letters to the editor Well, every time I wrote a letter to the editor, you're gonna have one or two people who are upset with what you wrote So I would write the letter to the editor But on purpose I would not read the newspaper for over a week Because I knew people were gonna write and and I I don't want to be feeling like I have to respond I don't want to get into arguments, you know and become a paper tiger kind of person Oh, I'm real courageous on paper didn't want to do that. So I avoided that But I had my secretary who was a did you read what they wrote about you today? You know, well, that's not a good habit It isn't a good thing to tell me what people are saying to me Um, but some people think that it's it's good to let them know what someone has said about them But they really shouldn't do that. Why because you sow seeds of anger And you should be careful when my mama, um Went home to be with the lord. I got some things that were hers. She had a a box That had all kinds of clippings of the bad things people had written about me in the newspaper Thanks mom even even from the grave you hurt your son Notice first 22 the words of a tail bearer are like tasty trifles There are some people who just love to hear bad things about other people Or watch soap operas verse 23 23 Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver draws That's an interesting way to put it fervent lips with a wicked heart Fervent lips is a picture of someone pretending to have deep affection They're pretending to have deep affection um Silver draws when he speaks about earthenware covered with silver draws Silver draws I actually looked up what this means silver draws silver draws is an oxide of lead That was used to put glaze on pottery It's simply not valuable So this is a picture of someone showing great affection when in fact It's all pretend It's judas When jesus comes in He's jesus is in the garden And judas comes with the detachment of officers And remember what he did He walks up to jesus hail master takes him And when you read it and you begin to look at the words used by the gospel writers And you begin to look at the word in the original language and it says he kissed him It's a very strong word in greek that means he literally smothered his face with kisses So it wasn't just a light You know in some cultures again jewish culture included greek culture mexican culture various cultures There's a show of affection You know you kiss sometimes you kiss on You know you do that it's an affection and that was a greeting judas was using the sign of friendship And said my dear master fervent lips And what he was doing is he was pretending to have affection When in fact he was the betrayer And so when it speaks concerning that It's something that we mean we need to be aware of fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross In proverbs 10 18 whoever hides hatred has lying lips Whoever spreads slander is a fool verse 24 He who hates disguises it with his lips lays up to see it within himself When he speaks kindly and do not believe him For there are seven abominations in his heart though his hatred is covered by deceit His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly hypocritical words often hide an evil heart And though he may flatter his heart is evil towards you And he has many things that he wants to do That will harm you Concealed malice eventually will be exposed Because righteousness does triumph over evil verse 27 whoever digs a pit will fall into it And he who rolls the stone will have it roll back on him Ultimately You reap what you sow Keep that in mind You reap what you sow And somebody may have bad intentions for you the lord has a way of taking up your case And finally verse 28 a lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it A flattering mouth works ruin Here's some very basic advice One Only pain and ruin comes from Align flattering person Be very careful I don't know how to put this. Let me think about it for a second One of the ways that you're going to mature as a person one of the one of the elements of maturing as a person Is when you get to the place in your life Where you begin to think in a balanced way never Never believe you're as good as people say Because you're not But never think you're as bad as others say because you probably aren't as bad as they're saying And my mom had a different way of approaching that she said to me son whenever anybody comes and tells me how bad you are She says i'll tell him I believe you and he's probably worse than you know Again, thank you mom great memories So when when I went into the ministry I I learned very early that i'm not as good as some say I am And i'm not as bad as some say I am i'm probably somewhere in the middle And i'm good with that I don't want to be bad But i'm not necessarily ever going to be good So what I want to be is just What god can do with me where i'm at with a desire to be better than I am so Some people will flatter you some people will tell you you're the best thing You're great You know you are You know and I know that you're really not You know it You know so if anybody starts that with you You know, oh, you're the oh, you're the You know, what do you want? What what what do you really want? I mean because flattery is deceit And so be very careful And so when he says a lying tongue hates those who are crushed by a flattering mouth works ruin, that's true So be careful When someone flatters you flattery is one of the tools that is used in What's the word? It's it's used to seduce you People will use flattery To seduce you and not just physically But in whatever way they see They can If they need money from you Or whatever they will find a thing about you that you obviously have as a weakness And there are some people who are very adept at this by the way And they will say things to you Until they see the right reaction then they say I found your weakness I found your weakness And now they're going to begin to appeal to that Be very careful and I I can say this as a person who's In the public eye I I I appreciate it when people say, you know, my heart was blessed. I really am I I want to be a blessing to people and I I really am and i'm grateful But I also know who the real Blessing blessing person is it's my god and I know that too So thank you for the encouragement I'll say I really appreciate it and I do it it edifies me and we should encourage one another We should love one another and that's a good thing. I'm good with that but You don't you don't need to flatter one another When marie and I were newly married young people Um, all of you in this church who've been in my church for a while You know, you know, I how I feel about my girl. I love my girl And that's you know, kind of obvious. She comes in every message somehow um But it is just true But when we were first married I remember looking we were first married. We're talking about young people married And I still remember looking at her saying maybe you're so beautiful And I'll never forget she looked at me. She says, what do you want? You want to know my response? Yes, please tell us. Okay, I will No, my response was honey I'm married to you I sleep with you every day. I'm with you all the time I don't have to flatter you I'm telling you the truth You see, I I don't have to flatter She's mine And so there's a difference when somebody's playing that game. Oh, you're so cute. You're so this and that And you're oh your ears like what? You know, come on. Come on. Have you lost some weight? Oh, you look so good in that color. What? Really You you slide dog, you know So be careful Be careful that you don't get taken by flattery You're not as good as they're saying And you're not as bad as others say You're probably somewhere in the middle And that's a good place to be That's a good place to be You don't think highly of yourself too highly You think balanced And so when someone says to you, you know, I just think you're a great person. I really love you You can say well, thank you. I appreciate that and move on You don't go home and write dear diary I I got the greatest compliment. I'm crying as I'm writing this, you know