{"id":56304,"date":"2010-11-26T21:14:00","date_gmt":"2010-11-27T03:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=56304"},"modified":"2024-11-26T21:30:35","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T03:30:35","slug":"pearls-from-proverbs-frankness-finds-favor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/pearls-from-proverbs-frankness-finds-favor\/","title":{"rendered":"Pearls From Proverbs: Frankness Finds Favor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\tby Irvin Himmel
\nVia\u00a0Guardian of Truth<\/a>\u00a0XXXI: 4, p. 108, February 19, 1987\n

“He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue<\/em>” (Proverbs 28:23).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Although there are people who do not care what others think about them, most of us desire the esteem and goodwill of our acquaintances. Our words and actions toward others reflect our inclination to find favor with them.<\/p>\n

\"\"On the surface, it seems that rebuking someone is not the way to gain his respect and admiration, but frankness finds more favor than flattery.<\/p>\n

Rebuke<\/h2>\n

The Hebrew word for “rebuke” (yakach<\/em>) in this proverb means to decide, judge, reprove, or correct. We rebuke a person when we take him to task or reprimand him.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Rebuking requires courage. It is much easier to brag about someone than to tell him that he is wrong. When God charged Nathan the prophet to go to David and convict him of the sin of adultery, it took boldness on Nathan’s part to fulfill the assignment (II Samuel 12). David was the king of Israel. He had great power. Already he had arranged to dispose of Uriah the Hittite. If he became angry with Nathan, the prophet might be imprisoned or put to death. Nathan courageously went to David and pointed out his sinfulness.<\/li>\n
  2. Rebuking may be painful. Possibly there are some who relish telling another his faults, but a conscientious person, keenly aware of his own shortcomings, finds no pleasure in confronting another about his transgressions. “Nothing is more irritating or hardening than to be rebuked by one who evidently enjoys his office. But if the one who points out our fault is evidently deeply pained himself, we must be very obdurate if we are insensible to such an appeal. The wayward child is conquered, not by the rod in his mother’s hand, but by the tears in her eyes” (E. Hurndall).<\/li>\n
  3. Rebuking shows love. Paul found it painful to rebuke his brethren but love compelled him. He expressed his feelings this way: “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you<\/em>” (II Corinthians 2:4).<\/li>\n
  4. Rebuking is commanded. God told the Israelites, “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him<\/em>” (Leviticus 19:17). The command to rebuke one who sins was to avoid developing hatred toward him and to avoid complicity in his sin. Jesus taught that if a brother trespasses against thee, “go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone<\/em>” (Matthew 18:15). Again, Jesus commanded, “if thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him<\/em>” (Luke 17:3).<\/li>\n
  5. A rebuke is a call to repentance. The aim of castigating someone is to produce godly sorrow which in turn brings about repentance. The design of a rebuke is not punishment. Read Paul’s remarks in II Corinthians 7:8-10 on this point.<\/li>\n
  6. A rebuke may cause temporary displeasure. The one who is reproved may not like his medicine. He may get angry and attempt to justify his misconduct.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Favor Afterward<\/h2>\n

    In the long run, rebuke is more likely to bring admiration and respect than displeasure. “We are so prone to self-love, and pride, that the most prudent, and needful rebukes are apt to create transient displeasure. Yet upon reflection, most men will have a better opinion of a faithful reprover, than of a soothing flatterer, and will show him more favor” (T. Scott).<\/p>\n

    When the rebuked person comes to his senses, his heart will be grateful to the individual who pointed out his fault and convicted him of his sin.<\/p>\n

    Failure of Flattery<\/h2>\n

    As Proverbs 26:28 states, “a flattering mouth worketh ruin.<\/em>” How many people do you know who have been brought to repentance through flattery? The real friend is not the flatterer but one who rebukes in the spirit of love.<\/p>\n

    “He who gives us kisses when he ought to give us reproof, or who holds back deserved rebuke from cowardice, is more cruel than if he withheld from us an indispensable medicine simply because it had a bitter taste. And if a wound is to be probed it is surely better for the patient that it should be done by a skillful and tender hand than by one who has no sympathy with us and no acquaintance with our inner life” (W. Harris).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Firm, frank, and kind rebuke find more favor than flattery will ever produce.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    by Irvin Himmel Via\u00a0Guardian of Truth\u00a0XXXI: 4, p. 108, February 19, 1987 “He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue” (Proverbs 28:23). Although there are people who do not care what others think about them, most of us desire the esteem and goodwill of our acquaintances.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[1583,668,1598],"class_list":["post-56304","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-flattery","tag-proverbs","tag-rebukes"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":62496,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/frankness\/","url_meta":{"origin":56304,"position":0},"title":"Frankness","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 21, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverbs 28:23 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Most of us desire the esteem of those around us. We don\u2019t want people to think bad of us; instead, we want the respect of people. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0It is that basic desire that Satan exploits - James 1:13-16 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0B.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Behind \u201cpride of life\u201d is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":56254,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/flattery\/","url_meta":{"origin":56304,"position":1},"title":"Flattery","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 26, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Mike Johnson At a reception in Washington, a widow asked a young man to guess her age.\u00a0 \"You must have some idea,\" she said, as he hesitated.\u00a0 \"I have several ideas,\" he admitted with a smile.\u00a0 \"The trouble is that I hesitate whether to make it ten years younger\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/11\/HoneyPot-227x300.gif?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":59299,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/reproof\/","url_meta":{"origin":56304,"position":2},"title":"Reproof","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 16, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Ethan R. Longhenry \"Whoso loveth correction loveth knowledge; but he that hateth reproof is brutish\" (Proverbs 12:1). \"A wise son heareth his father's instruction; but a scoffer heareth not rebuke\"\u00a0(Proverbs 13:1). \"A fool despiseth his father's correction; but he that regardeth reproof getteth prudence\" (Proverbs 15:5). One of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":86803,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/on-rebukes\/","url_meta":{"origin":56304,"position":3},"title":"On Rebukes","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer \"Better is open rebuke than hidden love\" (Proverbs 27:5). The best way to avoid rebuke is to refrain from the activities and attitudes that provoke rebuke in the first place. Yet when rebuked, give it thought as to whether there is something of which to repent. If\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37474,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/giving-and-taking-a-rebuke\/","url_meta":{"origin":56304,"position":4},"title":"Giving and Taking a Rebuke","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"by Lance Blackburn Rebuke - to admonish, charge, convict; a stern correction Rebuking is a vital part of the Christian's life This is true of giving and receiving rebukes Jesus often rebuked His disciples: Mark 8:33; Luke 9:55 Paul commanded Timothy and Titus to rebuke: I Timothy 5:20; II Timothy\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4714,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-i-wrong-to-forgive-someone-without-rebuking-them\/","url_meta":{"origin":56304,"position":5},"title":"Was I wrong to forgive someone without rebuking them?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 27, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, A coworker asked for my forgiveness, but because the moment was awkward, I didn\u2019t say \u201cI forgive you.\u201d There\u2019s a good chance that I have a form of OCD, and I get stuck on little things like this. I went out of my way to be nice to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56304","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56304"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56304\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}