WHO ARE THE GO TO PEOPLE?
PROVERBS 25:19
PROVERBS 25:19 NKJ
19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
OBSERVATION:
Who are the people you think of when trouble strikes? Who are the ones you would not call? Who are the people you have confidence in?
I like this proverb because it is so visually graphic. Putting your confidence in someone who is unfaithful is going to be a painful experience.
As I am writing this devotional, there is a gap in my mouth. I had to have a tooth extracted because it was broken. When you have a broken tooth, you are not ambivalent about it. Nor can you ignore it. All it takes is one strong chomp down on something semi-hard, and you have entered a whole new world of pain.
When your tooth is broken, you chew on the other side. You can't put pressure on a broken tooth.
What about a foot out of joint. I have never broken my foot, but I have broken my little toe. The bottom line is, again, no pressure can be applied. If you do forget and make a hard step, you may go down. At the very least, you are clenching your teeth and hope none of them are broken.
When we put confidence in someone who is not trustworthy, we will pay the price. This is true, especially when we have to put pressure on an untrustworthy person. How someone responds in a pressure situation will give insight into who they are character-wise.
At The Ark Church, where I am the senior pastor, we have been blessed with some very faithful men and women in many roles. People we can count on in good times and bad, to handle their ministry with honor and grace. Go-to people. And go-to people make life better.
We could say that confidence in go-to people in times of trouble is like having good teeth and strong feet. That is not nearly as poetic as the original proverb, but you get the point.
PRAYER:
Lord, may I become one You can count on in trouble. And may I be a person that others can put confidence in.