A Man that Deceives His Neighbor - Proverbs 26:19

In the book of Proverbs Solomon shared about, “As a mad man who casts firebrands, arrows, and death, ...”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse nineteen of Proverbs Solomon shared about, “a man that deceives his neighbor” where we read,

So is the man that deceives his neighbor,

and says, am I not in sport?

The verse begins, “So is the man that deceives his neighbor, ...” Solomon began with the words, “so is the man” or “even, also and indeed exist the person whether male or female” “that deceives his neighbor” which means “who misleads, beguiles, tricks and betrays his, the mad man's, intimate companion, friend or fellow-citizen”. Solomon said the person who misleads and beguiles their intimate companion or fellow-citizen is similar to “a mad man who casts firebrands, arrows, and death”.

The verse continues, “... and says, am I not in sport?” Solomon added the words, “and says” or “and utters, declares and proclaims”, “am I not in sport” which means “was I, the mad man, not just kidding around and joking”? Solomon referred to the person who deceives their neighbor and then says they were just jesting and laughing. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon how the person who beguiles and betrays their friend or fellow-citizen and then declares that they were joking is like a “mad man” who shoots hot spears and arrows and is prone toward “death”. There is nothing humorous about misleading people who are near to us, and God wants us to be honest and live with integrity before our fellow-citizens. He knows we have sin in our lives that drives us toward this type of behavior, and He sent His Son Jesus into the world to pay the price of death on the cross for that sin. When we believe and trust in Him as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a righteous and honest demeanor that never desires to deceive our “neighbors”.

Next time Solomon says, “where there is no talebearer, the strife ceases”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".