Prov 6:35 He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts.
When I was a young boy it was common to have a best friend, someone you thought would be there forever. And even into my teens and twenties this remained an important aspect of my life. Someone to pal around with, to play games with, to be tested against and to grow with. Sometimes there was a sort of natural dissolution of these rewarding partnerships, one person would move away, or jobs would change and the logistics became too hard even although the emotion was there.
Sometimes something harder to resolve was part of the journey. A hurt was given, or received, and the pain led to separation, and nothing you or they could say would restore fully what was lost, although a partial settlement may be negotiated, the imagined future was gone in the blink.
I know men who have taken actions they deeply regret now, and the damage has gone on for decades. Nothing they can say or do can restore what was there. Mostly these men were caught out.
I know other men who have taken similar actions and have then confessed their failings fully, nothing held back and no excuses made. For these men, there mostly seemed to be a way back, often to something stronger, deeper and more vulnerable.
KNOWLEDGE
What does it feel like when you go to someone, knowing you have wronged them in some way, and you desperately want to confess and hopefully be forgiven. You want to make full restoration, whatever the cost, so that one, your peace may be restored, and two, the relationship may not be so damaged, even although perhaps it cannot resume its previous spontaneity and joy. And your approach is rebuffed, you are given no platform, and there seems no way forwards.
UNDERSTANDING
Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?
The word for refuse in Hebrew is pronounced as ” ‘abah” and carries the meaning of “to be willing, consent, yield, , with the negative – to be unwilling, to refuse”.
In the LXX the word used is “ανταλλάξεται” – [antallaxetai]. The word “ανταλλάξεται” (antalláxetai) is not found in the New Testament. It is the passive voice, third-person singular future form of the verb “ανταλλάσσω” (antallásso), which means “to exchange” or “to barter.” While the concept of exchange or substitution is present in the New Testament, the specific verb form “ανταλλάξεται” is not used.
WISDOM
Where is there a need for restoration that is still an open door?
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Restorative as a Gallup Strength finds the root cause and desires to clean up the mess. Don’t al/ow the desire to rescue others to take you past healthy boundaries.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version he will not forgive, or lift you up despite the offered ransom; he will be unwilling to yield or consent though you increase your offer of a bribe or a gift.
He will accept – he will not forgive, or lift you up,
no compensation – despite the offered ransom
he will refuse – he will be unwilling to yield or consent
though you multiply – though you increase your offer
gifts – of a bribe or gift.
PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Help me to
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