Avoid Dog Food

(Pro 9:9 KJV) Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.

I just noticed when copying this verse from the KJV that “instruction” is in italics.  That is true in the NASB also.  This is used to indicate that the word is not in the original language but is added for clarification.  The same is true of the word “man”.  So what happens when you leave them out?  It becomes,

    “Give to wise and teach righteous”.

We have a clear declaration to “give” (5414) and “teach” (3045).  We know that.  What we tend to overlook is the target of our giving and our teaching.  In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gave this instruction,

(Mat 7:6 KJV) Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.

The way that Jesus used reference to dogs usually meant gentiles.  We would say non-believers.  There is again a clear admonition about priorities.

So?  Our first priority is to give to needy brethren and to teach those young in the faith.  If we can do more, well and good but we are to go to the Body of Christ first.