Not Going Hastily to Strive - Proverbs 25:8

In the book of Proverbs Solomon said, “Put not forth yourself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men. For better it is that it be said unto you, Come up here; than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince whom your eyes have seen”, and in chapter twenty-five and verse eight of Proverbs the writer said, “go not forth hastily to strive” where we read,

Go not forth hastily to strive,

lest you know not what to do in the end thereof,

when your neighbor has put you to shame.

The verse begins, “Go not forth hastily to strive, ...” Solomon began with the words, “go not forth hastily” or “do not proceed or depart in a swift, speedy and hurried manner” “to strive” which means “to contend against, quarrel, defend, wrangle, chide or complain”. Solomon exhorted his readers and listeners not to be swift to quarrel, wrangle or complain. 

The verse goes on to say, “lest you know not what to do in the end thereof, when your neighbor has put you to shame.”Solomon continued with the words, “lest you know not what to do” or “perhaps and peradventure you, Solomon's readers and listeners, are unaware and without knowledge of how to work, act, prepare or attend” “in the end thereof” which means “in the after part, latter and hinder-most time”, “when your neighbor” or “at the time and moment your, Solomon's readers and listeners', intimate companion, fellow-citizen or friend” “has put you to shame” which means “has insulted, humiliated, reproached and made you, Solomon's readers and listeners, to blush”. Solomon said the result of being “hasty to strive” would be that his readers and listeners' intimate companion or friend would not perceive how to act at the time they are humiliated and made ashamed.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn through Solomon that there is a cost for being too quick to quarrel and complain with someone we know. At the time the “neighbor” causes them to be embarrassed and ashamed, they will not know how to respond or what to do. God wants us to be in a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus who was crucified on the cross for our sins, and when we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us how to refrain from speedy quarrels and complaining so we are never embarrassed when our “neighbor”responds. 

Next time Solomon says, “debate your cause with your neighbor himself”, 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".