Take-A-Ways From De-Flate Gate

Take-A-Ways From De-flate Gate – Part I

Wow!  There are so many take-a-ways from this season’s Super Bowl soap opera surrounding De-flate Gate that I am going to make this a multiple part blog, just so certain truths can be given an opportunity to speak.  The passage I want to use for Part I is:

Proverbs 15:22  Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.

Proverbs 15:23  A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

In a world where anyone can say anything (have proof or not) and have the masses follow along blindly speaks volumes as to why it is important to be able to think for oneself.  It is important to pause for a moment and consider the actual evidence in full before jumping on the proverbial bandwagon just because everyone else is doing it.

I have made my thoughts very clear as to how this subject should be approached on this blog and in other places.  For those thoughts refer to this blog and follow certain facebook threads.  To begin, the above verses provide us some wisdom as it relates to dealing with accusations and other such situations that occur regularly in real life situations.  Let’s take these two verses apart and attempt to internalize their meaning as it relates to this subject and life in general.

“Without counsel purposes are disappointed.” – The word “counsel” in the Hebrew means consultation and the word “disappointed” means to defeat, break up or violate.  And the word “purposes” mean contrivance or intention. So, the verse mean to this point …

Transliteration: “without consultation, the contrivances or intentions of people are broken up or violated.”

The next word in this verse is incredibly important, for it notes a change in the direction of thought … “but….”  The Hebrew word for “counselors” is different here than in the first word counsel of this verse; it means – advise, deliberate or resolve.  And the word “establish” means to confirm.  Therefore, the second part of verse 22 means –

Transliteration: “but (considering the situation at hand, and not running to a conclusion) from a plethora of people who are going to advise you with resolve in a deliberate manner, every situation will be confirmed.”

There are also some important bits of wisdom and truth found in verse 23.  I will list the Hebrew meanings of these words below and then tie a bow on Part I:

“joy” –                                     means glee, gladness or pleasure

“answer” –                              means reply

“word” -                                  means by implication in a matter

“spoken in due season” -        means duration, in sense of perpetuity

“good” -                                  means gracious, joyful, kindness

So, following the context of these verses, when confronted with what to say when responding to life situations, verse 23 means:

Transliteration: “a man hath gladness and pleasure by the reply of his mouth when he implicates himself into a matter when he looks at all the evidence to make a decision; this brings and shows graciousness and kindness and gives reason for joy.”

I hope this brief exposition of a few verses as it pertains to a current event allows you to understand why we need to be slow to wrath and think issues through before we speak.  I trust we will remember these truth each day where we live, work and play.

Live OUT LOUD!

Mark Harrell – Habakkuk 2:2