Proverbs 18
Bible Passage: Proverbs 18
God created man and told him to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), therefore we humans are social beings living together in the society.
When we narrow it down, we are among our family members, relatives, friends and acquaintances, and all these different people have their different characters and upbringing.
So as asocial beings, we can’t afford to isolate ourselves from the community. More so for us who belong to the community of Christ, we must all the more see the importance of the fellowship with our Father and our siblings in Christ.
A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all wise judgment.
V1
Indeed if a man isolates himself, he would tend to be selfish and to think highly of himself. This kind of mentality is truly not befitting a Christian.
And the following verse confirms what is being said,
A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his own heart.
The pride of an isolated man hinders him from broadening his understanding on other things and about other people, he is only interested in his own thinking and self approved wisdom.
Therefore, we have to understand that we need each other in the community to learn and to grow; and also in times of difficulties or sorrows, we can receive the necessary helps from others. This is indirectly being expressed in V14,
The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,
But who can bear a broken spirit?
Physical sicknesses maybe endured with a positive and strong spirit, but a broken spirit is a mental torture that can quietly eat up a man’s health.
But with the company and encouragements from friends and brethren to share the burden of a broken spirit, I believe the torment from a broken spirit can be lightened tremendously. (Pls see James 5: 13 – 16)
But of course, we must not only not to isolate ourselves from the community, we must also be true friends to others, both to the people in the household of God, and to those who are yet to come back to this big family of our Heavenly Father.
A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
V24
The 2nd portion of the above verse reveals to us of the great blessings and grace we have from our Lord Jesus Christ, for He is our Friend who sticks to us closer than a brother. Our Lord Jesus calls us His friends if we abide by His commandments,
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
John 15: 14
and remaining in the community of Christ, we are actually having fellowship with the brethren and our Friend, Jesus Christ.
that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship
with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
1John 1: 3
May we all cherish this divine fellowship we have in the Body of Christ; and also not forgetting to diffuse the aroma of Christ in the midst of the society who doesn’t know Christ, so that they can also come back to the bosom of our Heavenly Father.
Shalom