Proverbs 29
Author: Jim Brewer
If I’m not on jury duty or in local government, what does justice have to do with me? I want justice, but do I want to do justice. Proverbs 29 lays out clearly that there is divine justice (1, 6, 13, 23-26), political justice (2, 4, 7, 14) domestic justice (3, 15, 17, 19, 21) and even personal justice (5, 9-11, 20, 22, 24). And although I am involved in all of them in some way, the ones about personal justice focus on how we treat each other, especially on some of the unjust ways we tend to treat each other.
- Flattery 5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
- Controversy 9 If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet.
- Hatred 10 Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless and seek the life of the upright.
- Anger 11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back. 22 A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.
- Thoughtless Talk 20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- Lying 24 The partner of a thief hates his own life; he hears the curse, but discloses nothing.
Although we may tend to “justify” these things in our lives, unjust ways are a misrepresentation of a just God! And after all, we are justified by faith in the One who suffered through such injustices, in order to free us from them.