Proverbs 24:15-16 Wise Words #27
NO VULTURES ALLOWED!!! Don’t wait with anticipation for the chance to swoop in and grab what you want from God’s people. They don’t stay down!
This section and the next have a lot in common. They are both about one person watching another for a reason. In our reading today, it is so they can pounce on something that is no longer being carefully watched. In the next reading, it is so they can rejoice over the other’s misfortune. We will stick with today’s wise words for now.
As I was thinking about what it looks like when a “wicked man” lies in wait “against the dwelling of the righteous.” I turned to a broader perspective though. I thought about what thieves do when they decide to rob someone’s home.
First, they look for a ‘target’. Sometimes it is a random target but usually it is a home where an abundance of valuables are expected to be. They don’t go to poorest house on the block. There is nothing to steal there.
Next, they look for vulnerabilities. Is there an alarm, do they have dogs, where are the streetlights, do the neighbors seem attentive, are there hedges that could conceal the thief? If this is a well-planned job, the thieves may even get a blueprint of the home. All these factors into how difficult it will be to enter the house, take what they want, and get away with the stolen property.
Now that the obstacles to getting into the house itself are analyzed, it’s time to look at the occupants. Unless the thief is trying to hurt the owner, they usually watch for a consistent time when the house is empty. This is done by carefully observing the occupants. Is there a pattern/schedule that the people in the house keep? Leave for work: ____, Leave for school: ______, shopping trips: _____, kids activities: ____, dinner time: ______, lights out for the night: _______. One of the best times would be when the whole family engages in an activity together outside the home.
Patients has provided a good accounting of the family’s movements. Now they only need to wait for the appointed time, slip in unnoticed, grab what they came for, and get out clean. Mission accomplished and it’s off to the next house/job.
I was wondering what the thieves would see while watching the family. Would they see them constantly arguing? Would the see a close-knit family? Would they see the character of the family? Or would they only worry about the one objective they have? How would their observations change between watching a “righteous” home vs and ungodly one? Would the character of both be evident?
Our author focuses on the character of the people. He speaks of how those in the home handle adversities. Do they curl up into a ball and never come out again? Do they ‘shake it off’ and begin again? Do they seem to pop right back up, no matter what they encounter?
The last example is what God watches for and nurtures in His people. He watches how we stumble and knows what caused it. And He knows how to help us rise up again. Whether it’s someone breaking in and robbing your home, our car not working correctly, or a personal tragedy, He sees out hearts. He gives us strength to rise up again, one more time.
THAT is what I want those watching me, for whatever reason, to see. I want them to see me get up again, EVERY time I fall. I want them to see a child of God who is forgiven. Not perfect, but perfectly loved!
I wanted to explain where the ‘vultures’ came from in the beginning of today’s blog. When I think about someone waiting and watching, I think about a parking lot. Some lots are so full that people will go up and down the isles repeatedly, waiting for a place to park. That takes someone leaving their space if all of them are full. Some will follow you to your car and wait while you put your purchases in the car. I call these people vultures, because they hover over you, waiting for the opportunity to grab your spot just like a vulture hovers over the ‘dying’, waiting for the opportunity to pounce on them and grab the juicy parts. And a vulture will fight off all the other vultures to be the first one in.
Don’t be a vulture waiting for someone to fall. And don’t be a thief who keeps watching but never really sees. Next time we will talk about how your attitude while waiting can be just as big of a problem.
Father God, let me show Your love in my daily activities. Let them be evident so that even those looking to do me harm can’t miss our relationship. I pray that I never attract the attention of someone wanting to do me harm. Actually, thank You for helping me through the times when I did attract the wrong attention. You worked EVERYTHING out in those instances.
