July 13

Jul 13 - Today from Proverbs 13 we look at verse 13
"He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded."

-NIV

"He who despises the word brings destruction upon himself, but he who respects the commandment will be rewarded."

-RSV

I like to look at different translations of a thought. And I often use the KJV and Strong's to try to understand what the literal interpretation of the original language might reveal. There are two phrases in the NIV version (which is my personal devotional Bible) which caught my attention; "Pay for it" and "is rewarded". As I thought about it, there is a huge difference. To pay is to bear a penalty. It's costly. A reward is something received for worthy behavior. It is gainful. The RSV is closer to the original language when it speaks of destruction - which is ultimate penalty and almost beyond costly.
Then I looked up the Hebrew terms and found it to shed a little more light, particularly the term 'rewarded', because it contains the idea of reciprocation. God's commands are meant to protect us and to provide for us. Not just for ourselves, but even more for others. The last five commandments of the Ten Commandments are restrictions put upon us which when obeyed are meant to protect our neighbor's rights and properties. Remember what Jesus taught as the greatest commandment? "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this; Love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 12:30,31). Do you see it? When we obey God's commands, we become a blessing to others. We do not 'earn' God's favor when we do so; rather He has set a law of reciprocity into His kingdom by which those who obey are rewarded (reciprocated in kind). Wisdom knows that this does not always happen in 'real time'. When our motive is to get a reward rather than to obey the One we can absolutely trust, we can get discouraged. Sometimes the reward will not even be in this lifetime. Then why bother? Because there is a wonderful promise in Revelation 22:12, "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done."
He is coming again. As sure as He came as the Suffering Servant 2000 years ago, He will be coming again as the Righteous Judge and Reigning King. And He is coming soon! If we will continually love His appearing, then we can find the strength and motivation to be obedient to His word, even when there is no reward in sight. He assures us that He will bring the reward with Him. I would humbly accept any morsel, which might be offered through His grace, but my greatest reward will be to be with Him. That is the ultimate gain! Hallelujah!