“If you assist a thief, you only hurt yourself. You are sworn to tell the truth, but you dare not testify.” Proverbs 29: 24 (NLT)
Hmmmm. Well, I can kinda understand that – I think . To me, this is saying (in a round-about way), that thieves always get caught and punished… so if you help them, your fate will be the same as theirs. But this last sentence completely stumps me. How can you be sworn to tell the truth and not testify? I happened to open a different Bible- my New King James Bible, and this translation sheds a little more light on things…
“Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing” (NKJV)
I think I got it. The person Solomon is describing is probably a liar too. Picture this … you’re in a courtroom; the thief is placing his right hand on a Bible, and swearing to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. By participation in the crime and perjury in the courtroom, he will hurt himself. I also think Solomon is warning us that if we refuse to report a crime, we become an accomplice.
What’s your take on that proverb? I know… A friend of mine, Warren Baldwin, just got finished publishing a book on the Proverbs. It’s titled, “Roaring Lions, Cracking Rocks and Other Gems from Proverbs.” I haven’t received my copy yet, but I mention Warren because he has so much insight into the Word of God. Maybe he has a thing or two to add?
“Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.” Proverbs 29: 25
Fear of people can hamper everything you try to do. In extreme forms, it can make you afraid to leave your home. By contrast, fear of God—respect, reverence, and trust—is liberating. Why fear people who can do no eternal harm? Instead, trust God who can turn the harm intended by others into good for those who trust Him.
