Proverbs 25:14 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Proverbs 25:14

Comments

Here is someone who raises false expectations by promising something which he is not going to deliver, either because he is not able to, or because he never intended to. Perhaps he made an excessive promise to appear generous, to make an impression but the keeping of his promise is never going to happen. He wants to appear to be kind but it is only words designed to promote his image in the eyes of others. He never intended to follow through and even as he raised hopes in others he was planning how he could get out of keeping it. Or perhaps he did intend to deliver the gift, but he is someone whose word is delivered lightly and he does not consider it to be binding on him. Difficulties arose afterwards which made it too hard for him to part with his gift and so he changed his mind. Integrity is not something of the highest importance to him, therefore he speaks without counting the cross.The effect on others is cruel. They were thankful that at last someone had come to their aid, and they began to anticipate receiving the gift. They trusted the promise and acted on their trust, imaging the change in their circumstances that the gift would bring. But instead they suffered only disappointment. It would have been better if they had never heard of the gift, than to have their hopes raised and then dashed.

Application

In the church of God we must care about these things. We must care about the feelings of other, their hopes and fears, joys and sorrows. We do not live to ourselves alone, but we live for each other, and who does not know that what a man badly needs and what he is promised should not be toyed with. Even in their dealings with the world, the Christian cannot make light promises for it is part of his testimony to the lost that his word is his bond and it is sacred. We need to have insight into what goes on in other human hearts and not live as if we are the only one that exists and all the world is there to serve us. Every word we speak and every promise we make has God as its witness and he will hold us to what we allow to come out of our mouths. Love for others makes us look for what they really need, but having made a promise we are extremely careful to not let the other down.

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Proverbs 25:14 Commentary and Bible Study