Presumption

It took a long time for me to figure out what was meant by "froward " when I came across that old–fashioned term in Proverbs. I thought, at first, that it must mean rash, but upon reflection, decided that it means presumption. Webster's dictionary says it means to be stubbornly self–willed. This definition includes both rash and presumptious in its meaning.

What does it mean to be presumptuous? I think that it means to assume that something is all right. One might assume that their neighbour would not mind them walking into their house without knocking at the door and waiting for them to open it, but unless one's neighbour has actually told them that it's okay to do this, it would be presumptuous to avail oneself of such a privilege.

Many times Christians assume that something is all right, regardless that the Bible says it is not, and they find various ways to twist Scripture in order to justify their actions. It is frustrating to deal with someone who calls themself a Christian, but does not give the Bible the final say on every situation.

I'd rather hear someone say that they're doing their best and acknowledge that they fall short of God's standard, than to deal with someone who feels that God has made a special dispensation for them in a certain matter. The latter remind me of Israel between the reigns of the Judges, when everyone did what was right in their own eyes, which produced turmoil.

Proverbs 22:5 says, "Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward; he who keeps his soul shall be far from them." If we are serious about being faithful to Yeshua to the end, then we need to be wise about who we keep company with, lest we learn unwholesome ways.

The hardest people to say no to are the ones who are nice to us. A person may flatter us, they may give us gifts, there may some benefits from being associated with them, but if the things that they want us to go along with will steal part of our soul, then we need to be very careful to keep an emotional distance and limit the time we spend with them, or maybe stay away from them altogether.

We might want to be some type of witness to them, but if they have a greater pull on us to join them in what they are doing wrong, than our good example and exhortations have to move them to do what is right, we need to cut off our association with them, lest the thorns and snares that they have let into their life find their way into ours also. Proverbs 22:5 is one of the verses in the Bible that demonstrates that God does not expect us to bear with everyone, regardless of their hang–ups.

Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
[Psalm 119:11]