Proverbs 27 … Consider His Faithful Wounds

Originally posted: 1/20/2021

Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy, (27:6).

We have no idea what tomorrow will bring; but when we walk humbly with Jesus, we can trust all our tomorrows into His Faithful Hands.

Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth, (27:1).

I was reminded this morning how the Lord Faithfully prepares us for all of the unknowns in this life, by His Holy Spirit through His Holy Scriptures. And as we walk in obedience, we are strengthened to face all that life may throw at us. But we also know that we all stumble, in many ways (James 3:2). But in His grace and long-suffering, in His love and His mercy, He disciplines us that we might yield a harvest of peace and righteousness.

All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness, (Hebrews 12:11).

discipline: 3809. παιδεία paideía; gen. paideías, fem. noun from paideúō (3811), to instruct. Originally instruction of children. It evolved to mean chastening because all effectual instruction for the sinful children of men includes and implies chastening, correction, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.

Discipline involves training as well as correction; and the truth is, sometimes discipline hurts. But we are to accept His Faithful Wounds, for He is our loving Father Who disciplines His children out of His love and care for His own.

My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His reproof,
¹² For whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights, (Proverbs 3:11-12).

Through faith in Jesus Christ we are brought into the family of God; and Jesus now calls us His friends.

“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you,” (John 15:15).

A friend will never stand by idly and watch a friend stray down the path of destruction. And once again the truth is, interventions are often painful. But He is oh so Faithful. And in His unending love, He will intervene with His Faithful Wounds, that we might endure to the end.

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. ⁴ And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing, (James 1:3-4).

Consider His Faithful Wounds

As Solomon continues to present counsel regarding the ways of wisdom, in his words of instruction and warning, we discern an allusion to the Faithful Wounds of our Faithful Friend.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy, (27:6).

As our Perfectly Faithful Friend, He will admonish us in His Truth, even if it hurts; that He might lead and train us in His discipline, to strengthen and sustain us throughout life.

• His Faithful Wounds lead us to depend on His knowledge and wisdom.
  • Do not boast about tomorrow,
    For you do not know what a day may bring forth, (27:1).

• His Faithful Wounds train us in humility.
  • Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
    A stranger, and not your own lips, (27:2).

• His Faithful Wounds reveal His love.
  • Better is open rebuke
    Than love that is concealed, (27:5).

• His Faithful Wounds create a desire for the sweetness of His truth.
  • A sated man loathes honey,
    But to a famished man any bitter thing is sweet, (27:7).

• His Faithful Wounds anoint us with His counsel.
  • Oil and perfume make the heart glad,
    So a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend, (27:9).

• His Faithful Wounds cleanse us that we might delight His heart.
  • Be wise, my son, and make my heart glad,
    That I may reply to him who reproaches me, (27:11).

• His Faithful Wounds endow us with prudence and protection.
  • A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
    The naive proceed and pay the penalty, (27:12).

• His Faithful Wounds sharpen us in His understanding.
  • Iron sharpens iron,
    So one man sharpens another, (27:17).

• His Faithful Wounds develop a work ethic that both provides our sustenance and honors Him.
  • He who tends the fig tree will eat its fruit,
    And he who cares for his master will be honored, (27:18).

• His Faithful Wounds reveal our heart.
  • As in water face reflects face,
    So the heart of man reflects man, (27:19).

• His Faithful Wounds crush arrogance to produce purity through humility.
  • The crucible is for silver and the furnace for gold,
    And each is tested by the praise accorded him.
    ²² Though you pound a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
    Yet his foolishness will not depart from him, (27:21-22).

• His Faithful Wounds shepherd us in sound and sensible stewardship.
  • Know well the condition of your flocks,
    And pay attention to your herds;
    ²⁴ For riches are not forever,
    Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
    ²⁵ When the grass disappears, the new growth is seen,
    And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
    ²⁶ The lambs will be for your clothing,
    And the goats will bring the price of a field,
    ²⁷ And there will be goats’ milk enough for your food,
    For the food of your household,
    And sustenance for your maidens, (27:23-27).

How do we respond to His Faithful Wounds?

God is so very Faithful; and as our Perfect Father, He knows exactly what we need to mature in our faith and grow in His ways and likeness.

• It is the humble heart that will receive His training and correction, even when it hurts. Let us ask Him to grow us in humility, that we would embrace His Faithful Wounds.
  • If I regard wickedness in my heart,
    The Lord will not hear, (Psalm 66:18).

• Let us heed His counsel. Oh, that we would trust His Faithful Wounds to place us in the position to be conformed into His image and to bring Him glory and honor.
  • A man’s pride will bring him low,
    But a humble spirit will obtain honor, (Proverbs 29:23).

• Oh, that we would wholeheartedly see our need to turn away from pride and sin; that we would turn to Him in obedient faith, believing He will hear and move to bring the healing that only His Faithful Wounds can.
  • “and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land,” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

• Let us trust His Faithful Wounds to humble us whenever needed as we trust His perfect work in our lives.
  • “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted,” (Matthew 23:12).

• Oh, that we would learn much from His Faithful Wounds, that we would have an accurate understanding of ourselves and others so that we would love others the way Jesus has loved us.
  • Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation, (Romans 12:16).

Oh Father, please do whatever You must do in us, that we would be the blessed recipients of Your great grace. We believe and know You are Faithful; and we trust You to accomplish Your will for us and in us for every one of our tomorrows.  Father, if You must Wound us, we know it is because You are always Faithful to all Your children. And Father, today we proclaim our confident hope in Your great grace expressed through Your Faithful Wounds.

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble,” (James 4:6).

Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy, (27:6).

Let’s Grow Together!