Encouragers

DEVOTION

PROVERBS

ENCOURAGERS

Prov 29:24

24 The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy; he is put under oath and dare not testify.

NIV

It is highly unlikely we would find ourselves in a court of law refusing to testify against someone who we know committed a crime. This seems to be the direction this proverb is headed. If we were to refuse to testify about facts we are aware of and who it is that committed that crime, we would be under the same punishment as the breaker of the law. We would be considered to be his accomplice. Yet how often, if ever, would we find ourselves in that situation? Does this proverb then have no bearing on our everyday lives? What purpose then does it serve within the context that all scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for rebuking, correcting, teaching and training in righteousness? Is it possible this could be seen in the sense of our daily lives among the community of believers? What if we are aware of a brother in Christ who is engaged in some wrong doing? Would we go to him and testify of his behavior? Would we remain silent, afraid of his response? Is our silence the same as being his accomplice? Our brother or sister may not be involved in some grievous act of carnage, such as murder, stealing adultery or some other physical offense. But would an unforgiving attitude be allowed to go unchecked or testified to be considered as an accomplice? What about jealousy, anger, bitterness, greed or some other attitude of the mind which is unpleasing to the Lord? Should we remain silent if we are aware of someone who is having such attitudes? Certainly we cannot go about accusing others of misdeeds of the heart. This has to be a situation where they may have even exposed themselves, but have no intention of making any change. If they have testified of their own attitudes which are not pleasing to God, and we do not encourage them to reconsider, to make a correction in the course of their lives, then have we become their accomplice? There are times when silence is no golden. We have an obligation first to God, but secondly to our brother or sister in Christ to testify regarding an offense we have absolute knowledge of. This cannot be supposition, or rumor, or gossip, this has to be unequivocal firsthand knowledge as the person telling us directly of their attitude. Let us first be willing to respond in conjunction with the Spirit, in love. But also let us be willing to hear a testimony against any of our attitudes which are an offense to God. Would we want any of our brothers or sisters to become an accomplice in our misdeeds and be under the same offense? God, forbid. So let us try to be open and transparent with each other so we all can build each other up until we reach the unity in the faith. Let us all forgo being accomplices and become encouragers.