October 9

Oct 9 - Today from Proverbs 9 we look at verse 12
"If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."

We have been using a rather simple definition for wisdom, which is 'understanding life they way God meant it to be' and I guess we should include 'proper application of that understanding'. Although the definition seems at first to be simple, it gets to be quite profound when one thinks of all the implications. We have shared much about wisdom in our daily studies. But what about the mocker?
Who mocks, and why do they mock? If wisdom is proper understanding from God's perspective, then it stands to reason that scornful men mock that which they do not understand. Jesus' half-brother Jude echoes the thought of the Teacher in the tenth verse of his epistle; "Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals - these are the very things that destroy them." Jude is warning against false teachers and leaders in the Church!
It is quite understandable that the world is full of mockers - I was once a mocker. I didn't understand God's purpose for mankind, or for my own life. Although I was churched and even professed Christ, I mocked God with my attitude, my speech and my behavior. I mocked the things I did not understand. Then I came under conviction. I confessed and repented, and I determined to receive Christ's offer and make Him Lord. My perspective changed, and I have been pursuing wisdom and growing in my understanding ever since. By His grace I will continue until I meet Him face to face.
The puzzling factor is, why are there so many mockers in the church? Why would there be any in leadership? Paul warns the Elders of the 'infant' Church of Ephesus in Acts 20:28-31; "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit made you overseers; Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from among your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!" The biggest difference between the wise and the mockers in the church is in understanding God's purposes for the church. The wise have a shepherd's heart. They purpose to keep the church unified under the leading of the Holy Spirit. The mockers have an agenda of their own - whatever that might be. The evidence of their agenda is that they divide the flock rather than nurture it.
Mockers in leadership are to be dealt with by their peers. Mockers outside of leadership are to be dealt with by the leaders. This is God's charge to them made through the Apostle Paul. As for the body of believers, their imperative is quite clear, "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." (Hebrews 13:17). And again from Jude; "But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in the most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." (Jude 20 & 21)
As individual members of Christ's body, we need to check our hearts daily; "Am I acting in wisdom; supporting the purpose of the church, respecting the authority of the leaders, building myself up in the faith, keeping myself in God's love? Or, am I mocking God; by attempting to promote my own agenda, by doing 'end runs' on the leadership, by formulating my own power base, by causing factions in the body?" Self-righteousness is a tool of the mocker, it is not righteousness at all. Let us guard our hearts that we not be deceived. Jesus is the Head of His Church. He set the example when He visited us, He left clear instruction behind when He went back to the Father's right hand, and He sent His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth. We are without excuse.