Five gems
Here we have five important points from the end of Proverbs 24.
- Whistleblowing
It’s wrong, very wrong,
to go along with injustice.
Whoever whitewashes the wicked
gets a black mark in the history books,
But whoever exposes the wicked
will be thanked and rewarded. Proverbs 24:23-25
I don’t know why but the word whistleblowing has negative connotations for me. But then, the whole concept of exposing a colleague or ‘telling tales’ on a manager seems to be a bit wrong.
We stand together, don’t we? None of us are perfect. If I ignore it, it will go away. It’s just the way he is. She doesn’t mean it really. I shouldn’t get involved. It’s nothing to do with me.
A whistleblower is someone who exposes any kind of information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or not simply not right within an organisation. It can be in working practices or in the way another colleague or a client is being treated.
It’s tough, really tough, but in any part of our daily life, turning a blind eye should not be an option. This is true of the injustices we hear about in the news too. Not taking a stand is in itself taking a stand, if you see what I mean
2. Honesty
An honest answer
is like a warm hug. Proverbs 24:26
It doesn’t always feel like that, does it? That’s why we have the phrase ‘to be brutally honest’, because sometimes, honesty can feel brutal. People use it as an excuse to stick the knife in. I’m sure this proverb implies there is a better way.
If you ask me to be honest, I will tell you the truth as I see it. As gently as I can if I disagree with you. You will know I’m not just saying it to please you. That there is truth in what I am saying. That my aim is not to hurt you or humiliate you or bring you down. Quite the opposite in fact. My aim is to help you in any way I can to move on, to make good decisions, to be the best you can be. I hope that will feel more like a more hug than a slap in the face. That is my intention.
3. The right order of things
First plant your fields;
then build your barn. Proverbs 24:27
Yup. Wise words indeed. Because sometimes we get ahead of ourselves. We get so excited we put the cart before the horse. And that never ends well. Like buying a whole new wardrobe of clothes for a job we haven’t even got yet. Or…well, you can fill in the gap with something relevant to you, I’m sure.
4. Gossip and revenge
Don’t talk about your neighbours behind their backs—
no slander or gossip, please.
Don’t say to anyone, “I’ll get back at you for what you did to me.
I’ll make you pay for what you did!” Proverbs 24:28-29
I’ve been amazed at how many of these proverbs are about how we treat other people. As Christians, we can get worked up about all sorts of behaviours that we deem less than spiritual, but look at what God is concentrating on in this collection of wise sayings. How we talk about other people. To their face and behind their back. How we seek revenge. How we cannot forgive. How we carry resentment. How we judge. How we compare. How we drag others down. How we fail to love. This is what really matters. This is what other people see. This is what God sees.
5. Laziness
One day I walked by the field of an old lazybones,
and then passed the vineyard of a lout;
They were overgrown with weeds,
thick with thistles, all the fences broken down.
I took a long look and pondered what I saw;
the fields preached me a sermon and I listened:
“A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there,
sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next?
Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life,
with poverty as your permanent houseguest!” Proverbs 24:30-34
Laziness is a bugbear of mine. I’ve always had a thing about it. I’ve always been afraid of being judged ‘Fat, boring and lazy’. It comes from somewhere in my childhood and has stuck with me. I’m on a mission to avoid all three. Because to me, that is the opposite to living life to the full. And now, ironically, I find myself judging others by the same criteria. Look at point 4 – this is where I have work to do. I know. I have to stop judging and talking about others negatively. I just get so frustrated when someone settles for less. Because they can’t be bothered. Because they don’t want to put the energy in. Because they’re scared, maybe, but end up refusing to engage. Life takes effort. Living life to the full takes a lot of effort.
Yesterday, my husband texted me –
I love your enthusiasm.
You know what, I love my enthusiasm too. I love how I can throw myself into things and get the most out of them. It comes pretty naturally to me, to be honest. Because it’s so much more fun that way. Yes, I go to bed exhausted at the end of the day. But it’s a proper exhausted, a happy exhausted. This is a good phase of life for me right now.
Come on people! There’s a whole world of opportunity out there! Not just in our working lives, but in the whole of our lives! Let’s get up and get at it!
