Shooting the Sender of the Messenger

(Proverbs 26:6 KJV)  He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage.

I think the first part of this verse could be paraphrased in modern language as “You are looking for trouble when....”  May father used to have a saying, “You’re breathing scabs on your nose.” This is warning us about the tendency to get other people to do things we should do ourselves.  This might work in taking out the trash but will fail in anything needing discernment, wisdom or understanding.

We sometimes run into this problem because we are trying to disciple someone or train them for leadership.  Remember that when Jesus sent out people to preach and heal He sent a relatively small group of disciples, not the multitudes who followed Him.  We should be selective.  There are many actions the Bible teaches that require discernment and maturity.  Reproof, correction and exhortation come to mind.  They are not casual commands.  They are missions of maturity and wisdom. 

I think of an experience at a church we attended.  My daughter had been talking to a young lady about modesty.  The correction was not being rejected.  The girl was changing her dress and obviously thinking about the issue.  We mistakenly got the pastor involved.  He sent someone else to talk to her.  Even though the lady was older than my daughter she did not have the maturity to handle the situation.  As a result the family left the church.  A classic example of sending a fool to do what the wise should handle.  People looking at it would have said that correction was wrong.  No, it was right.  The wrong ambassador was the problem.

So often the success of our message depends on the way in which it is presented.

So?  For yourself, make sure that your attitude is correct before you talk to someone.  If you are in a position to delegate, be very careful that the person you send it mature enough to handle the situation.  It might be better to say nothing than to say it the wrong way.

Fools, Correction