Context No. 4103 of 4322 · Proverbs

Proverbs 24:1-16: in context

1Don’t be envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them; 2for their hearts plot violence and their lips talk about mischief. 3Through wisdom a house is built; by understanding it is established; 4by knowledge the rooms are filled with all rare and beautiful treasure. 5A wise man has great power. A knowledgeable man increases strength, 6for by wise guidance you wage your war, and victory is in many advisors. 7Wisdom is too high for a fool. He doesn’t open his mouth in the gate. 8One who plots to do evil will be called a schemer. 9The schemes of folly are sin. The mocker is detested by men. 10If you falter in the time of trouble, your strength is small. 11Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter! 12If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not give to every man according to his work? 13My son, eat honey, for it is good, the droppings of the honeycomb, which are sweet to your taste; 14so you shall know wisdom to be to your soul. If you have found it, then there will be a reward: Your hope will not be cut off. 15Don’t lay in wait, wicked man, against the habitation of the righteous. Don’t destroy his resting place; 16for a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

Among the sayings in this chapter is a sharp command with a searching follow-up: rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. And then, anticipating our excuses: if you say, behold, we did not know this, does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? He who keeps your soul, does he not know it?

This is a call to responsibility for those in danger, and a warning against the excuse of feigned ignorance. God commands us to act to help those who are perishing, and he does not accept the plea, we did not know, from those who could have known and chosen not to. The God who weighs the heart sees through our willful blindness, our convenient not-noticing of those in peril. It is easy to look away from those being led to death, to tell ourselves we could not have helped, it was not our business. But God, who sees the heart, is not deceived by our excuses. He calls us to rescue those we can, and he holds us accountable for the good we could have done and did not.

Am I willing to act to rescue those in danger or perishing, refusing the excuse that I did not know or could not help, aware that the God who weighs the heart sees through my convenient ignorance and calls me to do the good I can?

Sources

Proverbs 24:11: "Rescue those who are being led away to death! Indeed, hold back those who are staggering to the slaughter!"
Proverbs 24:12: "If you say, Behold, we didn't know this, doesn't he who weighs the hearts consider it?... Shall he not give to every man according to his work?"
Proverbs 24:16: "For a righteous man falls seven times and rises up again, but the wicked are overthrown by calamity."