Sample Bible Studies | Knowable Word

Why Did Jesus Feed the 5,000?

January 6, 2014 By Peter Krol

This short series illustrates both the importance of context and the danger of harmonization.

Context is the literary or historical situation surrounding a passage of Scripture. Harmonization is the process of combining different accounts of the same event into a single story. Without careful observation of a passage, we can easily miss the context and unintentionally harmonize narratives, tricking ourselves into thinking we understand the story.

For example, you may have heard of the “rich young ruler,” but you won’t find him in the Bible. Matthew 19:16-22 speaks of a rich young man. Mark 10:17-22 calls him a rich man. Luke 18:18-30 calls him a rich ruler. We think of him as the “rich young ruler” only because we’ve harmonized all three accounts.

This harmless example affects only minor details in the story, but what happens when our tendency toward harmonization (apart from the context) affects how we understand the meaning of a passage?

Jill M (2007), Creative Commons

To answer that question, we’ll look at the feeding of the 5,000. But before we dive into it, I need your help.

This miracle is the only one (other than the resurrection) to appear in all four Gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all considered it a necessary part of their narrative portraits of Jesus. Thus, it’s rightly familiar to us. If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard this story multiple times.

Here’s how you can help: Would you be willing to take a moment to answer the following question in the comments below?

Key question: Why did Jesus feed the 5,000?

Why do you think the Gospels tell this story? What is the point of the story? What did Jesus hope to do or communicate by this miracle?

Here’s another way to think of the question: If you were teaching this story in Sunday School or to an unbeliever (and you had to make it plain and simple), what would be the main takeaway you’d want people to get out of it?

I’ll come clean with you about my intentions. I don’t want you to feel like I’m setting you up to give a wrong answer so I can jump out from behind my virtual candid camera and shout, “Gotcha!” No traps here; I promise.

My point (over the next few weeks) will be this: Each of the Gospels has a different reason for telling the story. They all recount the same event for a different purpose. And I think many people unconsciously harmonize the four accounts and so flatten the unique intentions of each Gospel writer.

But before I unpack those four different points, I’d like to hear what you think “the point of the story” is. That way, I’ll gain an idea as to which of the four Gospels has been most influential for most people.

You can find the other posts on the Feeding of the 5000 here: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.

Connecting the 3 Fools

December 30, 2013 By Peter Krol

Simon Lutz (2013), Creative Commons

For a few weeks, I’ve been examining three kinds of fool from Prov 6:1-19: the Savior, the Sluggard, and the Sower of Discord. To help you avoid them in the new year, I’d like to consider how they’re all connected.

Most foreign aid has done great harm to the Third World. Rather than helping the poor to have a better life, it has created a culture of dependence where people realize they don’t actually have to work hard to improve their communities. They just have to find a Western official who will give them a handout. So we put Band-Aids on cancerous tumors and perpetuate the injustice, instead of supporting useful organizations that educate people and train them in beneficial skills. We rescue hurting people in the name of world peace.

Coincidentally, we can do the same thing at home. How many relationships consist of the “Savior” who shields the “Sluggard” from his choices? Parents allow their perfectly healthy sons to live with them into their late 20s or early 30s. Teachers adjust the curve so no student will be left behind. Managers perpetuate the status quo rather than dealing with problem people on the team; it might be too awkward to confront them, after all. Church leaders dedicate most of their time to procedural minutiae or unteachable committee members, while turning a blind eye to the rampant gossip and slander ripping apart the community of God’s children.

And if someone has the courage to deal with such problems biblically, “Sowers of Discord” come out of the woodwork with their “concerns” at such an “unloving” approach. So godly people run in fear and perpetuate the evil.

We get into tidy patterns of behavior that reinforce our folly, and then we mistake our comfort for success in serving Christ.

Every once in a while, however, a ray of light from God’s Word pierces the cycle and exposes the issues. It feels like things get worse, because all the patterns we were used to stop working. It’s easy to see such moments as disruptive or even harmful to our lives. But I challenge you to see those moments for what they are: the opportunity for new life. Before resurrection, there must be death. Put the fool in you to death, and live anew in Christ every day.

Sometimes we think we’re on the right path as long as we avoid the big areas of folly, like easy money and easy sex. But God cares about the details, and some of those details are more destructive than we realize. Pieces of the Savior, the Sluggard, and the Sower of Discord reside in every one of us. Part of wisdom is learning how to discern the folly so we can turn to Christ, set the folly aside, and avoid its consequences.

Question: How do you see the three fools in your own heart?

Don’t Mess with God’s Wife

December 23, 2013 By Peter Krol

The Sower of Discord is the third of Solomon’s three fools in Prov 6:1-19. The first poem (Prov 6:12-15) addressed this fool’s characteristics and fate. The second poem (Prov 6:16-19) focuses on God’s attitude toward this fool. This week I’ll tackle the second poem.

There are six things that the Lord hates,
Seven that are an abomination to him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that make haste to run to evil,
A false witness who breathes out lies,
And one who sows discord among brothers (Prov 6:16-19, ESV).

In this second poem, Solomon reinforces the characteristics of the Sower of Discord (Prov 6:17-19) so we’ll learn how to recognize them. But his chief concern is to reveal God’s opinion of such fools. God hates the person who sows discord among brothers. “Abomination” is the strongest possible word for God’s loathing; there is no possibility of softening this hatred.

Also, let’s not fall into the trap of thinking God hates the sin but loves the sinner. Not in this case. “There are six things that the Lord hates…[including] one who sows discord among brothers.”

Draco (2008), Creative Commons

The church is Christ’s body (Eph 5:23), his household (Eph 2:19, 1 Tim 3:14-15). That means that both those who sow discord and those who support the sowing of discord are murderers and home wreckers. We listen to sowers of discord because it feels like indulging in our favorite desserts (Prov 18:8), but really it’s like swallowing razor blades. It’s like wearing a “suck it up” t-shirt in a maternity ward. We might as well paint targets on our chests and think happy thoughts, because the Lord is a crack shot. He is a jealous, avenging husband, who will not stand idle while fools screw with his wife.

As you celebrate Jesus’ birth this week, remember that his body was broken once before to pay for the sin of the world (Luke 22:19). He won’t suffer it to be broken again. “Do you not know that you [plural in the Greek; referring to a community, not an individual] are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1 Cor 3:16-17).

But for those who set aside the sowing of discord, hope flows from the body once broken.

Jesus died for sowers of discord so he could reunite them with his father. His disciples had their fair share of disputing and jockeying for position. But Jesus paid their debts, gripped their hearts, and gave them a vision for community based not on position or prestige but on mutual service. He gave them an effective method for resolving conflict and offense (Matt 18:15-20), but their motivation to follow through on it wouldn’t come from inside themselves. They had to remember how Jesus loved them and died for them so he could forgive them and heal them.

This is how we do it as well. We remember Jesus’ sacrificial love for us, and we can’t help but to forgive others and speak well of them:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you (Eph 4:29-32).

Question: How have you seen Jesus heal his body from discord?

How to Recognize Sowers of Discord

December 16, 2013 By Peter Krol

There is no foolproof formula for recognizing sowers of discord, but Solomon wants to train us to be discerning.

A worthless person, a wicked man,
Goes about with crooked speech,
Winks with his eyes, signals with his feet,
Points with his finger,
With perverted heart devises evil,
Continually sowing discord;
Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
In a moment he will be broken beyond healing (Prov 6:12-15, ESV).

1. Take note of crooked speech (Prov 6:12b)

Do they twist words to win sympathy? Do they label their complaints as “concerns,” their anger as “frustration,” or their bitterness as “misunderstanding”? Have they failed to forgive? Do they always have questions but never any answers?

2. Consider body language (Prov 6:13a)

When around people who offend them, do they roll their eyes, grimace, or shake their heads? Do they make eye contact with you when the other person turns away? Does their posture communicate disrespect or defensiveness?

3. Refuse to join the gang (Prov 6:13b).

a2gemma (2007), Creative Commons

The Sower of Discord “points with his finger” in an effort to persuade others to join his team. He’s a sneaky communicator, and his destructive power lies in his ability to recruit. Whenever someone has a complaint against another person, your best response is, “did you talk to that person about it?”

Sowing discord is one of the most prevalent and most disregarded sins in the church today. We think of gossip as something that happens on daytime talk shows, and we ignore it in the fellowship hall. We think slander deserves discipline only if it’s intentionally and overtly deceitful. Perhaps we’ll confront those who purposefully spread bad reports about others, but Proverbs is just as concerned to confront those who endorse those reports by giving them a hearing (Prov 26:20-28).

This passage convicts me thoroughly. I am as guilty as anyone of speaking ill, sowing discord, and fighting unity. I have shared details I didn’t need to share. I have discussed the failings of my supervisors with my subordinates. I have asked for the low down on specific people, and I have entertained conversations that went in the wrong direction. I have asked Jesus to change me, and I wrestle my self-importance daily.

If you are broken by this text, there is much hope for your repentance and healing. You can act as glue to reunite the shards of your once-vibrant community. You can unleash Christ’s redemptive glory in your church, and he can restore his body to full and proper functioning. Learn to recognize the characteristics of the Sower of Discord, and exterminate them from your heart and your church.

But if you find yourself still making excuses for sowing discord (or for aiding and abetting others to sow discord), you’ll be ruined before you know what hits you (Prov 6:15). God doesn’t like it when people mess with his wife.

Question: What else helps you to recognize sowers of discord?

How Not to Receive Your King

December 11, 2013 By Peter Krol

Earlier this week, I attended a wonderful performance of Handel’s Messiah. The choir and orchestra were impressive, and the soloists performed impeccably. It was a marvelous night out with my wife and a few friends.

epSos (2009), Creative Commons

The quality of musicianship had packed the house. Every seat was filled, and parking had overflowed onto the grass. The lengthy standing ovation confirmed my suspicion that I was not the only one who enjoyed the show.

However, in my perception, the greatest marvel was not the performers but the audience.

Right in front of me sat an older couple. From a brief conversation before the concert began, I discovered that they attended a Unitarian church that had “no prescribed beliefs” (their own description). When I asked why they attended (what they liked about it), they said, “it’s very welcoming, and doesn’t require us to believe anything in particular.” They described how the church had conducted Christian, Jewish, and Hindu services, and how they were hoping to organize an Islamic service as well.

One row in front of this couple sat a woman who obviously loved both Jesus the Messiah and excellent music. She really got into the show.

During the “Hallelujah” Chorus, the audience stood reverently, according to tradition. Believers and unbelievers both listened attentively, appreciating the text and music being presented.

And while the choir belted “for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,” the Unitarian couple snickered as they watched the evangelical woman dance and lift her hands in worship.

I saw similar scenarios playing out around the concert hall, and they led me to consider two dangerous responses I tend to have toward the advent season. These responses are the same common responses people have always had to the coming of the King of Israel.

1. Get swept up in hip (or respectable) Jesus culture

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:12-13, ESV)

Jesus, the great King of Israel, had arrived, and the crowds were ready. They brought their acclaim, and they whipped up a fervor of Jesus-talk and advent-happiness.

Why did the crowd have such fervor for Jesus?

The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. (John 12:17-18)

They went because it was cool. Jesus had done an amazing thing in raising Lazarus, and they wanted to check him out. Perhaps they thought they could fight Rome and be unstoppable (if Jesus could perpetually raise their fallen). Perhaps they wanted to be entertained. Perhaps they thought it was too good to be true.

Similarly, Jesus still experiences a certain popularity during the holidays each year. Sappy movies play on syndicated television stations, with their messages of sacrifice and good will toward humanity. People bake cookies shaped like angels and stars. Christmas carols play in department stores.

People attend candlelight services, Messiah performances, and Christmas pageants, all because it’s the cool thing to do this time of year.

I’m tempted to join them; dripping with sentimentality and culturally acceptable platitudes, I can be accepted and respected along with everyone else.

2. Get caught in jealous, manipulative self-protection

So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.” (John 12:19)

Some, seeing the hollow fervor of the crowds, kept themselves apart and refused to get swept into the celebration. They focused instead on their own situation, whining about the loss of their own place and nation (see also the Pharisees response to the raising of Lazarus in John 11:48).

These Pharisees were the ones who responded to the world’s fallenness by making more rules and getting more serious about their spirituality.

Similarly, many today see the materialism and emptiness of the advent season, and they withdraw and make more rules. No Christmas trees. No presents (give the money to charity instead). No parties. No spiking the egg nog.

I’m tempted to go this route myself. For years, I emotionally boycotted the holiday celebrations of my extended family. They didn’t focus on Jesus the way I thought they should, so I tried to win them by being a sourpuss. “Please don’t get me any presents.” “Let’s remember the reason for the season.”

Both responses are irresponsible to the humble King who rode in, bringing salvation and peace with him.

The first response says, “make me happy, but don’t expect me to change.”

The second response says, “make others unhappy, but don’t expect me to change.”

But the King came to bring change (John 12:14-15). Consider the passage John quotes. The one born in a manger, who came to Jerusalem humble and mounted on a donkey (Zech 9:9), takes his selfish, idolatrous people and fashions them into weapons of war (Zech 9:13). He saves the unlovely and makes them like jewels on his crown (Zech 9:16). He shows his goodness and beauty by making grain and new wine (egg nog?) abound (Zech 9:17). He does all this by laying down his life for his beloved people (John 12:31-33).

You’ll understand Jesus’ birth only if you see through it to his death.

His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. (John 12:16)

May your advent season be full of great joy as you get to know Christ better through his word.

Fool #3: The Sower of Discord

December 9, 2013 By Peter Krol

Richie Diesterheft (2007), Creative Commons

The Sower of Discord is the third of Solomon’s three fools in Prov 6:1-19. This person knows what’s good for God’s people better than God himself does. This person is a fighter, a crusader. This person suffers tremendous persecution at the hands of those who don’t understand (or won’t receive) the mission. This person believes every point of theology is worth dying for. This person is always right.

I am this fool. If you’re honest, you probably are, too.

But watch out. Solomon addressed the Savior as “my son” (Prov 6:1). He also addressed the Sluggard personally, although not as a “son” (Prov 6:6). The Sower of Discord, however, is almost beneath his dignity. He does not address this person directly; instead, he warns his readers against this person. He does not hold out much hope for this person. The Sower of Discord is an “abomination” (Prov 6:16), one hated by God with utmost hatred. We must not allow this fool to multiply in our churches. We must not allow this folly to multiply in our hearts.

Solomon divides this section into two poems. The first poem (Prov 6:12-15) addresses this fool’s characteristics and fate. The second poem (Prov 6:16-19) focuses on God’s attitude toward this fool. This week I’ll tackle the first one.

A worthless person, a wicked man,
Goes about with crooked speech,
Winks with his eyes, signals with his feet,
Points with his finger,
With perverted heart devises evil,
Continually sowing discord;
Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly;
In a moment he will be broken beyond healing (Prov 6:12-15, ESV).

Let’s be honest. This person is a great friend to have because he always has inside information about people. He’s good at making you feel like you’re on the inside and others are on the outside. He’ll welcome you in and give you a prominent seat in the clubhouse. He’s not a gossip; he just really cares about what’s best. He wants truth, and not injustice, to reign.

But he is worthless. He is wicked (Prov 6:12a). Nothing good will come of your friendship with him. Perhaps that sounds harsh, but it’s what Proverbs teaches.

This person continually sows discord while devising evil with his perverted heart (Prov 6:14). Of course, he doesn’t think of what he does as “evil.” He just has “concerns.” He has a few questions about the leadership. He wants to understand the church’s direction, and he wants to know if you understand it any better than he does. By discussing his concerns with you, he can gain some valuable advice on how to address his concerns and offer help. He offers you “the real story” behind a certain event in the church’s history. He’s full of insight and compassion, and he’s like a magnet for those who really care about people.

Watch out.

Question: Why do you think Solomon is so hard on the Sower of Discord?

Are You the Sluggard? And What to Do About It

December 2, 2013 By Peter Krol

The Sluggard is the second of three fools in Prov 6:1-19.

Are you the Sluggard? Can the ant teach you how to be self-motivated and seasonally productive?

You might be the Sluggard if you:

Have 3 stars on every level of Angry Birds.
Miss things because of over-sleeping.
Are more caught up on your Instagram news feed than on your to-do list.
Have your mom do your laundry for you.
Regularly don’t do things you say you’ll do.
Need structure to work fruitfully, and you expect others to provide that structure.
You stay up all night to meet deadlines.
Regularly wonder how the day went by so fast.
Don’t know what you did for a block of time.
Feel like your parents, spouse, roommates, or boss nag you too much.

None of these things necessarily makes you the Sluggard. But if there’s a pattern, you may be in danger. Ask others if they think you work hard enough on the top priorities.

Are you ready to make the changes necessary to labor fruitfully for the Lord? Solomon tells you how.

How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest,
And poverty will come upon you like a robber,
And want like an armed man (Prov 6:9-11, ESV).

1. Ask yourself some hard questions (Prov 6:9).

John Morgan (2010), Creative Commons

“How long will you lie there?” “When will you arise from your sleep?” The answer Solomon seeks is not primarily a length of time, but a confession of motivation. If you are not motivated to work hard at what God has called you to, why not? What else motivates you to sit still and waste your time? Why do you love surfing the Internet for hours on end? Why do you watch so much TV? What do you get out of it, and is it working for you? Why do the weeks and months and years tick by, with not much to show for your life’s labor?

God sent Jesus to die so he wouldn’t have to go through the rest of eternity without you. Why are you more interested in yourself than in anything else?

2. Begin with minor choices (Prov 6:10).

No one decides to ruin his life all in one day. An investor doesn’t look for the worst possible stock to buy. A retailer doesn’t open a store in the belief that there’s no market for his goods. And a sluggard doesn’t decide up front to be lazy, unproductive, or ineffective. It’s the minute-to-minute choices that ruin him: “a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.”

A few minutes surfing channels becomes a few hours. A quick break from something hard leads to complete procrastination. A short nap evolves into a lifestyle of irregular sleep habits.

The solution to a life of laziness is not to write out an all-encompassing life plan. The solution is to train yourself to make different choices. Small choices add up to weighty habits, for good or ill. Figure out one next step, and then take it. Then take the next. And the next. Before you know it, you’ll be walking the path of wisdom, on your way to life and hope and influence and satisfaction.

3. Remember the consequences (Prov 6:11).

If you trust in Jesus, not even your laziness can thwart his commitment to giving you eternal life. But it can make the journey there much more painful. “Poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”

Where do you rely on others to tell you what to do? They’ll stop trusting you, and you’ll never find the freedom you really want.

Where have you consistently had lack? Where do you keep relying on others to bail you out? Here’s a secret: It probably won’t change until you change. In fact, you might be surprised by how poverty, hunger, and lack of resources will ambush you and perpetually hold you captive.

Jesus came for the weak and lowly, not the influential. He worked hard so we could find our true rest. He is changing the world, and he includes us in the process. He won’t let us remain idle. He dumps his work in our laps until we understand that hard work is good for us.

And remember that Jesus died for sluggards. If you keep making little choices that render you unfruitful and ineffective, he’s not ready to give up on you. If you love him, he promises to conform you to his image, and he won’t ever let you succeed at avoiding the work of his Kingdom.

Question: Are you the sluggard? What will you do about it?

Fool #2: The Sluggard

November 25, 2013 By Peter Krol

The second of Solomon’s three fools is the Sluggard. “Sluggard” is an old-fashioned word for lazy-bones or couch potato, and such people existed long before video games or social media. This person loves to have fun. The Sluggard is usually behind on something, but he runs out of time before he can get to it. This person is often incredibly busy. This person is a great friend to have, but not the best teammate or project partner. The Sluggard doesn’t know how to produce stuff, but he knows how to get it from others who produce it for him (be it the Church, the welfare office, or his parents).

I am this fool. If you’re honest, you probably are, too.

Go to the ant, O sluggard;
Consider her ways, and be wise.
Without having any chief,
Officer, or ruler,
She prepares her bread in summer
And gathers her food in harvest (Prov 6:6-8, ESV).

Sancho McCann (2010), Creative Commons

Solomon commands the Sluggard to pay attention to the world. By noticing a few things about insignificant ants, he might, in fact, become wise.

First, consider how ants are self-motivated (Prov 6:7). They don’t need a supervisor cracking a whip over them. They don’t need their moms to remind them to take out the trash. They don’t need deadlines or micro-management to get the job done. They don’t have drill sergeants shouting in their faces. They move forward, doing what they ought to do. They out-perform the competition and can be relied upon to carry out top priorities. If they struggle to understand how they fit into the big picture, they don’t blame others for failing to give them enough purpose. They go after it for themselves.

Second, consider how ants are seasonally productive (Prov 6:8). They know when to work and when to play. They know what work should be done today, and what work can be put off until tomorrow. They don’t wait for winter to hit before they begin stocking the shelves. They don’t stay up late on April 14^th to finish filing their taxes. They’re aware of how much legwork goes into a task, and they plan far enough in advance to get it all done.

These two values—motivation and productivity—will convert any comatose dawdler into an influential laborer for God’s Kingdom.

In my college years, I ricocheted between laziness and workaholism until a mentor challenged me to view my schoolwork as a job. He encouraged me to set “business hours,” within which I would do all my classes and homework—and nothing else. When business hours ended, I could set the work aside and spend time investing in my relationships with God and other people. As I employed the counsel of this fatherly “ant,” I discovered that it was not only possible but also invigorating to live such a disciplined life. I had no guilt when 6:00pm arrived and I put my textbooks away to have dinner with a friend. I took an entire day each week to worship the Lord and rest in him, which freed me to become involved in my church. My stress level at exam time was much lower, and my investment in the Kingdom of God was much higher.

Question: How can you be more self-motivated or seasonally productive?

Take People to the True Savior

November 18, 2013 By Peter Krol

The first of three kinds of fool in Prov 6:1-19 is the Savior. Foolish saviors insert themselves between people’s choices and the consequences of those choices.

The wise know that the need for rescue is urgent, but there’s only one who can carry it out. There’s a savior, and I’m not he. Needy people most need to fear the Lord. They need to know Jesus and trust in the saving power of his death in their place and his resurrection to glory. If the Lord brings adverse consequences to draw people closer to him (Prov 3:11-12), then I’m keeping them away from God when I buffer them from those consequences.

Proverbs 6:1-5 isn’t for only those who cosign loans.

You might be the “savior” if you:

Let other students copy your homework.
Love when people talk about how much you’ve helped them.
Believe answering a phone call or text message is more important than anything, because this person needs you right now!
Have friends who keep coming to you for accountability, but nothing ever changes.
Are bitter because you’re always helping others but they’re never helping you.
Are proud because you’re the first one people turn to when they need help.
Are overwhelmed by how many people need your help.
Participate in service projects to feel better about yourself.
Claim to be a Christian, but you’re dating a non-Christian, and you think your partner might not go to church if not for your relationship.

None of these things necessarily makes you the foolish “savior.” But if there’s a pattern, you may be in danger. Ask others if they think you rescue people too much.

Hamed Saber (2006), Creative Commons

Jesus came for the sick, not for the healthy. If we take Jesus’ place as savior, we merely prolong the illness. People will never see their need and turn to him. But if we speak as Jesus’ ambassadors, letting him do his work in people’s lives, we get a front-row seat to his display of mercy. In helping to meet any need, our goal should always be to point people to Jesus and not to ourselves. Sometimes imaging Jesus means rescuing a child from a burning building. Other times it means allowing the child to touch the hot stove. In either case, we must take the burned one to Jesus, the only true savior.

The main problem is that people often don’t want grace; they want a bailout. They don’t want their feet held to the fire; they want their hands held. They want safety, not responsibility. They want an easy life, not a free gift. They want stability, not sacrifice. They want to subsidize their lifestyle, not change it. They want a nanny, not a neurosurgeon. So they ask for our help, while rejecting what would actually help.

So, in Jesus’ name, you can:

Lavish mercy without dulling the pain of their choices.
Participate in service projects to help others and not to assuage your own nagging guilt.
Meet financial needs by donating instead of co-signing.
Introduce your non-Christian partner to others who will speak of Jesus; then get yourself out of the way.
Offer tutoring instead of sharing your homework.
Let the call go to voicemail and return it at another time.

And remember that Jesus died for “saviors.” If you keep getting in the way of his saving work in others’ lives, he’s not ready to give up on you. If you love him, he promises to conform you to his image, and he won’t ever let you succeed at replacing him.

Question: Where do you see the “Savior” in your heart, and what would it look like to represent the true Savior instead?

The Savior Saves Because He Wants to Help

November 11, 2013 By Peter Krol

Last week I examined the Savior, the first of three kinds of fool in Proverbs 6:1-19.

At first glance there appears to be little connection between our world and this ancient practice of co-signing someone’s debt. At least that’s what I thought, until the day I led a Bible study on this passage and a girl broke down in tears because her parents had charged thousands of dollars to credit cards in her name. She had always thought it was good for her to rescue her parents by using her own unsullied credit to give them more margin. If she hadn’t, they might not have been able to make a mortgage payment. They might lose a car or their furniture. They might not be able to afford college tuition for her siblings.

Becoming surety, or co-signing loans, is actually so common today that we struggle to believe it’s problematic. Parents co-sign education loans for their children. Young adults share credit cards with their parents. Credit card companies (or other financial service providers) require entrepreneurs to sign a “personal guarantee” on a corporate line of credit. In the event that the business should go bankrupt, the credit card company can require the executive to repay the company’s debt from his personal assets.

Now one could make a case that Solomon never states explicitly that it’s wrong to co-sign a loan. He says only that you should deny yourself sleep until you can get out of the deal. One could also propose that it’s okay to co-sign for a family member since the borrower Solomon has in mind is a “stranger” (Prov 6:1). But I don’t suggest banking your opinion on that single word. It’s parallel to “neighbor,” which has quite a broad range of meaning. (See Prov 3:28.)

However, instead of debating the wisdom or folly of co-signing loans in certain situations, I would prefer to ask a more foundational question. Why does Solomon make this into such a big issue? Out of all the possible money-issues he could focus on, why warn against co-signing loans? Why not prohibit false weights and measures in the marketplace? Why not expose the evil of materialism? Why not denounce theft, bribery, extortion, larceny, or tax evasion?

The answer to these questions lies in yet another question: Why would a person even consider co-signing a loan? Why do people do it, when they know the risk is so great? Those who co-sign loans lack sense (Prov 17:18) and will surely suffer the loss of their own property (Prov 11:15, 22:26-27), so what could motivate someone to do it?

It’s simple: If a person I care about has a need, then I want to help.

Marc Falardeau (2011), Creative Commons

Perhaps the person in need has no one else to turn to. Maybe this person has exhausted every option. Perhaps bad luck and bad timing have collided in this person’s life, and I’m in a position to make it better. If I can help my loved one regain equilibrium, then I’ll have done my part. I can make the world a better place, and at least one person will thank me for it.

Note Solomon’s assumptions. Of course it’s important that we love others more than ourselves (Prov 3:27-35). Yes, we must image the Lord by helping those in need. But there are times when the best help we can offer is not to help. In other words, sometimes it’s unloving to rescue people from the consequences of their choices. And co-signing a loan is one of those times.

Wise people know that the need for rescue is urgent, but there’s only one who can accomplish it. There’s a savior, and I’m not he.

Question: How do you struggle with the temptation to rescue needy people?