Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Proverbs 31:8-9 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
LESSONS FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR ... FROM PROVERBS (3)
We all understand what an attorney does. He stands up for and speaks on behalf of another. He stands and speaks for his client because he understands the law and the procedure of the court.
In a sense, this Proverb tells us that our Heavenly Father wants us all to be like an attorney in this respect: We are to speak on behalf of and defend those who cannot speak. This would certainly include those who literally and physically cannot speak. We should make sure that their needs are not left unspoken. These words would also apply to the unborn. Our Father would have us speak up on behalf of those who are not present to speak for or defend themselves. When someone speaks evil of another in their absence, we should be diligent to defend them, especially if we know the gossip to be false.
We defend others faithfully because Jesus faithful and lovingly defends us. We are by nature guilty of sin and God has all the evidence He needs to condemn us. We are by nature spiritually dead, unable to speak for ourselves, so Jesus came to live for us and to die for us and to rise again to speak in our defense. Jesus stepped forward and became our Advocate, our Attorney.
Praise God that when Judgment Day dawns and we must stand before the throne, Jesus will be pleading for us. We need not fear because our Attorney is also the Judge.
Who can accuse the people God has chosen? No one, because God is the One who makes them right. Who can say God's people are guilty? No one, because Christ Jesus died, but he was also raised from the dead, and now he is on God's right side, begging God for us" (Romans 8:33-34, New Century Version).
