Contempt

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

CONTEMPT

Prov 18:3

3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes disgrace.

NIV

Does this proverb have a double meaning? Is Solomon speaking about those who have contempt for God? Those people who by the very definition of God, are wicked also have a great deal of contempt for him because they would rather live without the need to be accountable for their wicked ways. It might also be they do not even consider their ways to be wicked, but merely doing what comes natural to the human spirit. Yet by the definition of God, those people who refuse to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior are the wicked. We on the other hand, because we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, are considered by God as the righteous. It certainly is not because we are without sin, but it is because Jesus is and we in Christ. Whenever the wicked come into the presence of God which would be us, if we are being Godly, speaking about God, about Jesus, with reverence, they will have some level of contempt for us. They also may experience a certain level of inner shame and disgrace because God has put the knowledge of himself into every man.

Rom 1:18-23

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

NIV

It is clear every person has had the opportunity to accept the truth of God, but some determine to refuse because of their desire to serve their own passions and thus they have contempt for God and for anything or anyone that is about God. In the other sense, could it be possible that we, who God considers as righteous, demonstrate a level of contempt for him when we disobey him and yield to temptation thus sinning? This type of behavior also brings us shame. We feel shame when we disappoint God. It seems uncomfortable to accept the fact we are human and thus will never attain perfection and thus feel it is a bad thing to yield to temptation. It is not right that we sin, we are told we should not go on sinning so God’s grace may increase. But how do we not sin? How can we be without sin? So then when we do sin, are we demonstrating contempt toward God and when we do sin are we filled with shame and thus feel a level of disgrace? Would that show a lack of faith? Not the sin, but the feeling of shame and disgrace? Even though we might have faith enough to move mountains, we are still going to find ourselves yielding to temptations. Our faith in Jesus who covers us with his blood should be enough to put away shame and disgrace. However, when we do sin we do have to accept his forgiveness. Do we need to seek forgiveness each and every time we fail? It seems that is the correct response, but then that could imply we are feeling guilty and thus feel shameful for our behavior, however we still would be righteous and not wicked. Nor would it mean we feel contempt for God. We love him, and desire to please him, yet we fail to live as pure and holy as we think we should. So let us consider our lives being set apart for God. We are not the wicked, who refuse God, nor are scornful at him. We are not ashamed of God, and his call upon our life. Let us always be aware of God and his forgiveness in our lives so not to ever feel contempt in any way for his working in our lives, showing us the error of our ways, correcting us, rebuking us, teaching us, and training us in righteousness.