Our desire

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

OUR DESIRE

Prov 19:22

22 What a man desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar.

NIV

It would seem this translation may not carry the exact meaning of the original text, or at least might not reflect its intent, or could mislead how we understanding it. What we first must see is the desire of the man. It is not that a man desires to receive unfailing love from someone, as it might first appear. But rather it is a man’s desire to have an unfailing love toward others, or show his kindness. This idea is shown because of the contrast of the liar. When those who have the means to demonstrate an act of kindness and tell a person they are going to help them in some material way but never follow through are the liar spoken about here. It is better to be poor and not in any position to assist another in the material sense than to say yes, but do nothing. What this translates into our lives is that there are people who know we are believers. They know we are Christians in the narrowest sense. That is many people understand themselves to be Christian as opposed to Muslim or Hindu, but are not born again, Spirit filled followers of Jesus. However, they know we are and they also have some sort of understanding how we are supposed to behave. One of those behaviors is kindness, or love toward our follow man. This translates in their thinking that we should always be willing to help them, assist them in some manner. Surely when they are in need, hurting in some way, they would expect us to at least pray for them, or with them, or give them help. Because we have witnessed to them, telling them of the born again experience, or the need to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, they understand we have read the Bible and follow God’s commands. They know enough of the bible to know how we are supposed to be if we follow his commands. They expect us to show acts of kindness and when we don’t we are worse than the poor man, the man who does not know how he is to behave according to God’s word.  As believers it should be our desire to do good toward others and follow through with it. Sometimes we might tell people we will pray for them, when we actually forget or just don’t. It is far better to simply just take their hand and pray with them, for them, right there and then. This is doing kindness at its best. This is showing them Jesus. But it would seem this saying goes beyond prayer and into the physical helps. Should we not also be willing to extend ourselves to assist them physically as well? This would agree with putting the needs of others before our own.

Phil 2:1-5

2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

NIV

This action should not be out of a sense of duty, or obedience, but it should be our desire. The question is: is it?