Proverbs 11:17

Proverbs 11:17 "The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh."
Proverbs 11:17 Church Buffalo NY
Our world was intentionally designed to be an interactive world.  We were designed to interact with nature and with one another.  According to Genesis 1, God had very specific intentions as it pertains to our interaction with animals and with our fellow man.  No one was designed to be alone.  No one was designed to be in a vacuum.  Never has it been God’s intention for anyone to live under a rock among the rocks.  God enjoys watching living creatures interact with one another.  Based on the hilarious nature of some animals and on the extraordinary mating behavior of other animals, it is clear that the Creator enjoys watching animals socialize and harmonize.  Take some time to observe animals interact in your backyard or to watch the BBC Earth’s “Birds of Paradise Courtship Spectacle” and you’ll appreciate God’s love for interaction.  Our Maker loves to watch men and women interact with one another, especially as it pertains to romance.  Solomon would reference this fact at the end of his book of Proverbs (30:19).

The design for interaction among the living was not just for God’s entertainment nor was it solely for our enjoyment.  The design for daily interaction among the living was also for the revelation and confirmation of character.  Because of inevitable interaction in our world, the content of our soul is always and eventually revealed.  Because interaction with the living cannot be avoided for long, our character is always and eventually exposed.

Put two people in the same room and it won’t take long for their character to be revealed.  Without any interaction, we can easily deceive ourselves into thinking that we possess great virtue.  By ourselves, we can easily think our tongue tamed and our spirit kind.  When forced to share a room with a sibling or to work with a co-worker or to shop among strangers, an unruly tongue and an unkind spirit is soon revealed.  Interaction in the form of sexual attraction and romance is a great revealer of character.  God designed us for sexual attraction and romance because He loves to watch the living interact and because He loves to bring us pleasure.  He also designed us for this intimate interaction because it quickly reveals our character.  Two souls who fall in love eventually (and often quickly) learn things about themselves that aren’t flattering.  Two souls who move in together, regardless of marriage, often learn things about themselves that they didn’t know until living with a member of the opposite sex.  Interaction among the living reveals the character of the living.
 
Interaction with one another reveals who we really are by how we treat others.  By ourselves, we can easily think ourselves kind because we treat ourselves kind.  But when we find ourselves interacting with others, we can’t think ourselves kind if we don’t treat others kindly.  That being said, the human heart is incredibly deceptive and skewed towards seeing the best in itself.  Interaction confronts this slant towards self by the natural human response to interaction.  Like it or not, we naturally choose our treatment of others based on their treatment of us.  If someone is unkind to us, our natural response will be to treat them unkindly.  If someone is kind to us, our natural response will be to treat them kindly.  If someone is impatient with us, our natural inclination is to be impatient with them.  If someone is gentle with us, our natural impulse is to be gentle with them.  While this natural tendency is not always appropriate, it does reveal our character.  This is the Boomerang Effect.

Jesus spoke of this Boomerang Effect in Matthew 7 when He said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” It’s not always right to do this but that is the natural human response.  One could argue that all living creatures do this.  Strike a dog and it will be inclined to strike back.  Stroke a cat’s neck and it will be inclined to rub up against your leg.  We respond to the living based on their treatment of us. Interaction reveals who we are because what we dish out is what we will be served.
 
Solomon is teaching the same Boomerang Effect in this proverb.  We know a man is merciful or cruel based on his treatment of others.  If a man has deceived himself, he should know whether he is merciful or cruel based on how others treat him.  How we treat people is how people will treat us.  How people treat us reveals who we really are.  Interaction exposes our character.  How we treat people reveals what type of person we are.  How others treat us reveals what type of person we are.  This interaction is designed to teach us that it matters who we are.  This interaction is designed to teach us that it matters how we treat people.  This interaction is designed to confront our character because no one likes being treated poorly and usually we’re treated poorly because we’ve treated people poorly.

Unfortunately, it’s easy for our race to forget that God is constantly watching and assessing our character.  We can easily forget that God hears how we talk to our spouses and children.  We can easily forget that God sees how we treat our siblings and co-workers.  We can easily forget that God observes how we judge our loved ones.  It’s easy to overlook our cruel treatment of people, especially those closest to us.  The Boomerang Effect is a natural phenomenon stemming from a world of designed interaction that is intended to confront our character.  In this proverb, Solomon was teaching what Jesus was teaching in Luke 6:36-38, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” 

In case any person thinks being cruel to the living won’t impact himself or herself, God designed a world of interaction that will eventually and naturally bring that cruelty back to that cruel soul.  In the same way, the merciful will eventually and naturally experience that same mercy from others.

In general, how do people treat you?
 
What we dish out will eventually and naturally return to us.  

Recent

Archive

Categories

Tags

Rehoboam Solomon fear of God health pride self-sufficiency wisdom 1 Corinthians 1 John 2020 5th Commandment Aaron Abel Abigail Abortion Abraham Absalom Accident Accomplishment Achan Acts 17 Acts Adam & Eve Adam Adolescence Adolf Hitler Adulterer Adulteress Aesop's Fable Aesop\'s Fable Aesop\\\'s Fable Affair Age Ahijah Ahithophel Albany Alcoholism Ally Alone Amazon American America Amnon Andrew Finch Animal Abuse Animals Answered Prayer Applause Apple of Eye Approval Arrogance Arthritis Asaph Ashamed Athletes Athletics Backbone Back Balaam Balance Bank Accounts Bathsheba Beauty Bedroom Beecher Behavior Benefit Benjamin BestBuy Bethlehem Bezaleel Bible reading Bible teacher Bible Biblical instruction Big Picture Bin Laden Birth Blog Boasting Bonar Bondage Boomerang Boyfriend Brutal Brutish Budget Buffalo Bills Building CA Rt 1 Cable News Calamity Call of Duty Calming Calvin Canaan Cancer Candidates Careers Cares of Life Casey Viner Character Cheesecake Factory Christian upbringing Christ Churches Circumspect Clamor Clinton Clothes Clothing Coaches College Commend Communication Companionship Conceit Conception Condemnation of God Confession Confidentiality Conflict Conservation Contrast Conversation Corinthians Corrupt Cosigner Cosigning Cosign Countenance Courting Coworkers Creation Creator Creatures Crime Criminals Crooked Cruel Curiosity Currency Danger Daniel Data Dating Daughters David Days Death Deceit Deceptive Delilah Democracy Democratic Desire Deuteronomy Devil Diligent Diploma Discovery Diseases Disease Dishonesty Dishonor Dislikes Divorce Domestic Violence Doorhanger Dress Drink Drug lords Drunk Driver Drunk Early Adulthood Eastern Culture Ecclesiastes Economic Stability Eden Elderly Elihu Elijah Eliphaz Emerson Emmies Employers Encouragement Engagement Enoch Ephesians Ephraimites Esau Esther Eternity Evening Eve Evolution Excellence Excel Exodus Expectations Expectation Experience FaceBook Face Faithful False Fame Families Famine Farming Fashion Favor of God Fear of the Lord Fearing God Feast of Purim Financial Advisor Financial Security Fingers Food Foolish Football Free-will Freedom Friendships Friendship Friend Froward Fruit Fumble GPS Gadarenes Galatians 6:7 Galatians Gamble Gang Garden of Eden Garden of Gethsemane Garden Gender Differences Genesis Gideon Gileadites Girlfriend Girls Giving Glad Godhead Goliath Goodness Gossip Graciousness Grammies Grandchildren Gratitude Grave Grief Guide Guilt Culture Guns Gutters Hagar Haman Hamlet Hannah Hard Work Hard-Working Harlot Hate Evil Hatred Head Healthy Heaven Heaviness Heavy Heart Hebrews Helicopters Hell Herod Highway History Hollywood Holy Spirit Home Depot Homeowner Homicide Honesty House Humble Humility Hunting Hypocrisy Hypocrites Ian Brady Illness Immorality Independence Industrious Inherit Insecurity Insight Instagram Instructing Integrity Internet Interview Intoxication Inventions Isaac Israel Jacob Jairus James Jealousy Jeffrey Dahmer Jeremiah Jeroboam Jerusalem Jesus Christ Jesus Jewish Law Jewish Jimmy Soul Jobs Job John the Apostle John Jonah Joseph Joshua Josiah Joy Judah Judaism Judas Iscariot Judges Judging Judgmental Jury Justice System Kindness King David King Hezekiah Kings King Know-it-all Language Law Enforcement Law Leaders Learn Liars Liar Lies Life Lesson Likes Lion Loan Longevity Look Looting Lori Loughlin Loss of Health Loss of LIfe Loss Lottery Love Triangle Lowliness Luke 7 Luke Luther Lying MLB Magazines Majority Maker Makeup Maniac Manna Maple Trees Mark Martyrs Martyr Marvel Mary Matthew Media Men Merciful Merriness Mike Tyson Mindset Ministers Mob Mocking Monarchy Monopoly Month Moody Morality Mordecai Morning Moses Mouths Murder NBA NFL NHL Natural Disaster Naughtiness Nebuchadnezzar Negative Nehemiah New Tricks News Anchors Noah Nobles Numbers O.J. Simpson Obama Observation Obtain Old Dogs Olive Garden Order Others Paint Parenting Passion Pastors Paul the Apostle Paul Perspective Perverse Perversion Peter Pharisees Pharoah Philippians Physical Appearance Plant Pleasure Politicians Politics Polygamy Poor Popularity Portrait Positive Possessions Potiphar's Wife Potiphar\'s Wife Potiphar\\\'s Wife Potiphar\\\\\\\'s Wife Praise Prate Prating Preacher Pregnancy Pregnant Preparation Princes Prince Principal Thing Principal Procrastinate Procrastinator Profit Prophecy Prophet Prosperity Gospel Prostitute Protests Proverbs Proverb Psalm 21 Psalm 35 Psalm 37 Psalms 37 Psalms Psalm Punishment Pure Purity Purpose QVC Rachel Rage Rebekkah Red Lobster Reels Rehoboam Rehoboma Relationship Religion Remember Repentance Reporter Reprove Republican Reputation Research Responsibilities Resume Resurrection Revealing Revelation Reward Rich Man Rich Ridicule Righteouness Right Riot Road Romania Romans 8:28 Romans Rulers Ruler Rules Sabbath Sadness Samson Samuel Sarah Satan Satisfaction Satisfy Saul Saving Scale Scam Science Scientist Scripture Sea of Galilee Seasons Secrets Seduce Seed Seek Self-Confidence Selfies Selfishness Servitude Sexual Chaos Sexual Confusion Shakespeare Shame Culture Shame Shane Gaskill Shenandoah Valley Shoe Laces Siblings Sickness Silence Simon Peter Simon Slothful Social Media Social Society Solomon Song of Solomon Sons Sorrow Source Speaking Speak Speech Spies Spiritual Security Sporting Sports Sport Spouses Stanley Cup Steal Stephen Stock Market Strange Woman Strangers Stratego Strength Stress Super Bowl Rings Surely Surety Swatting Sweat Talebearer Talkative Talking Tamar Taylor Teachers Teaching Teenagers Teens Tendency Texas Roadhouse Theft Theocracy Tik Tok Timothy Tithes To be or not to be Toddlers Tolerance Tomb Tongue Tour Guide Travel Treasure Treatment Tribute Trickery Trinity Trips Trouble True Love True Wisdom True Turner Tyler Barriss Uber Eats Understanding Unforgiveness Unhealthy Universities Unjust Unrighteous Uprightness Upright Vain Value Vanity Vehicle Vengeance Videos Virtuous Vision Votes Voting Walk Walmart Washington Watsom Way of Life Way Weight Western Culture Winking Wink Wise Men Witnessing Womb Women Work Ethic Worth Wrong X Yankees YouTube Zechariah addiction adultery advertisements advertiser advertising advice advisor affection affirmation aggression alcohol amos angels anointing ant anxiety appetite argument assumption as attractions authority background backyard bankrupt battle beginning birds bitterness blessed brain bright broken nose buckler campfire cardinal sins career carelessness car cause certainty charity chastening childhood childrearing children child choices church attendance church command confidence confident consequences considerate contention contentment conversaion correction counselor counsel covetousness criticism cruelty cynicism dads dad darkness dark daughter debt deception decisions defend defense demands destruction determination diamonds diligence direction disappointment discernment discipleship disciples disciple discipline discontentment discord discretion distractions distress doctrine dogs drinking drugs dying ear education effort emotions employee employer employment enemies enticement enticing envy equity evil communications evil men evil women evil example eyelids eyes ezekiel facts failure fairness faith family fathers father favor fear of God fear of man fear feelings feminine fighting fight filthy finances fire flattery focus following foolishness foolishnes fools fool forgiveness fornication friends future gambling gangs gender gold good men good government grace greed guard guilt happiness happy harm hate headlights health heart hear hold your peace holiness home honor hope hunger husbands husband ignorance illustration income inequality infidelity influence iniquity insomnia instincts instruction intimacy investigation investing isaiah issued issue jabs jewelry judgment justice just kidnapper kidney kids knowledge labor law of sowing and reaping laziness lazy leadership learning legacy length of days lessons let life light lips listening listen little liver living loans loneliness long life longterm love lucifer lust man marketing marriage math memorization memory mercy messenger millions mind ministry mischief misery loves company misery mistakes mom money mothers mother motive mouth movies nature necklace neck neighbor obscenity observant oil oppression oppressor organs ornaments parable paranoia parenthood parents parent pastoring path peace peculiarity peer pressure peers peer permission personification pleasant politician ponder pornography pottymouth poverty power prayer preservation pride priests private procrastination prodigal profanity prosperity prostitution protection protect prudence public restroom purchases reading reaping reason rebellion rebuke regret rejection relate relationships relevant remedy remembrance remorse repetition replacement reproof respect responsibility responsible retain retention riches righteousness righteous risk robber romance rubies safety sailor salvation schools scorner secret security seduction seeing see self-sufficiency self-sufficient serpent seven deadly sins seven sexist sexual sin sex short-term silver simple simplicity sinners sin skepticism slander sleeplessness sleep slothfulness sluggard smoke to the eyes smoke son soul sowing spleen spouse stability stranger strange strife striving successful success suicide surgeon sword talents talk taxes teacher television temptation tendencies thief thieves thinking think thoughtfulness thoughts thought threats time tithe tree of life trust truth tv vehicles vice video games vinegar to the teeth vinegar violence violent virtue virtuous woman visual voice of God voice vulgar walking war wealth well wickedness wicked wife will wine wisdom wise sayings wise wives woman word of God words workplace work worry young man young people young youth