Responses To Hatred

 

Proverbs 10:18

Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,

And whoever spreads slander is a fool.

– NKJV

 

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at first that sentence made me think

“dont tell also bad, tell also bad, then howww?”

 

but then it sparked me to think even more.

what’s the main theme here?

i think it’s Responses to Hatred.

 

which got me thinking even more.

what different possible responses to hatred are there?

1. i could harbour my feelings and keep it secret.

2. i could tell someone. which probably would turn out as an evil report and defamation (it probably wont turn out to be a neutral report about how to help someone out of the bad situation or action).

3. i could directly tell the person involved that i hate him/her.

4. i could forgive that person.

 

this thought led to yet another question:

why would the proverbist (the person who wrote the proverb? haha) only mention no 1. and no. 2.?

i would have written:

1. Whoever hides hatred has lying lips,

2. Whoever spreads slander is a fool,

3. And whoever confronts hate confronts trouble.

but, i’m not wise old solomon.

 

hmmm.

1. it’s totally bad to slander. that’s obvious.

2. but it’s totally even worse to keep hatred inside

cuz it’ll grow into a huge whoopee cushion of hate and anger, and explode, one day, at the slightest prick from the bluntest kiddy toy scissors.

 

3. is it bad to confront?

wise old solomon already addresses this issue in Proverbs 27:6

Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.

 

ok it is good to confront.

but is it easy?

i hate confronting people when they do wrong.

it’s just difficult to get the right mixture of wisdom, strictness, mercy and love into it.

it’s also (more) difficult to be able to accept that the response may not be what we hoped for.

 

also, not forgetting

its just impossible to do in love… if we hate that person right?

 

 

but anyways.

i like to keep things simple here.

as a final conclusion, we should probably learn from this guy:

 

 

4. Hate is Bad

 

 

Proverbs 9

The Way of Wisdom

1 Wisdom has built her house,
She has hewn out her seven pillars;
2 She has slaughtered her meat,
She has mixed her wine,
She has also furnished her table.
3 She has sent out her maidens,
She cries out from the highest places of the city,
4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!”
As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
5 “Come, eat of my bread
And drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.

 

The Way of Folly

13 A foolish woman is clamorous;
She is simple, and knows nothing.
14 For she sits at the door of her house,
On a seat by the highest places of the city,
15 To call to those who pass by,
Who go straight on their way:
16 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here”;
And as for him who lacks understanding, she says to him,
17 “Stolen water is sweet,
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of hell.

 

-NKJV

 

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Wisdom’s house is built on 7 pillars.

that’d be a big and steady house.

food has been set. meat. not baby milk.

& wine mixed. can mixed wine be kept? hmm im not sure. but i dont think mixed wine is meant to be kept. it’s special, tastes good, and is meant for today. tomorrow will have it’s own mix of new wine. don’t wait or let it rot. let’s dine today.

 

now Folly also has a house.

she’s not inside preparing. she’s outside.

doing marketing-sales.

reminds me of how some products are so “package-focused”.

the product itself has no substance.

 

people can have substance in their life.

quality.

but it takes wisdom, hard work, early preparation, time, precision (care; like mixing wine), growth (maturity), strength, and daily consistency.

 

watch for Folly!

she may make herself look good and sound convincing.

but you’ll find her sitting! at the door of her own house even.

not even standing or moving or looking for you or doing anything.

i can imagine a pretty looking lady, sitting on the doorsteps of her little run down house.

calling out, trying to gain attention.

trying to convince you of how pleasurable sin can be.

 

how would you respond if you see a man get fooled by Folly?

if i see a man get convinced by such a character and go into her house with her,

i would be the first to say “what an idiot! gosh! can’t he see such an obvious trap?!”

 

 

 

but then again, can i say i havent walked into obvious traps myself?