Joel M Bradshaw

28Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. 29Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.”–Proverbs 24

Three basic statements here.

1. You live alongside your neighbor. Your family has a special relationship with his because of proximity. You see each other mowing the lawn or shoveling the snow or bringing garbage cans to the curb. You wave and smile. You help when there’s a need. To have their best interest at heart and hope they do yours. I see a practical care in verse 28 that is the foundation attitude of the famous “love your neighbor as yourself.” [Leviticus 19:18]

2. Your speech should not lie and intentionally lead others astray or influence with those lies. The context here is the same courtroom from point 1. If you are expected to be truthful, do not lie. This is the basis for the “don’t bear false witness” of the Ten Commandments. [Exodus 20:16]

3. Ah, so the neighbor has treated you badly, and you want to get him back. Maybe he called the city because your grass got too tall or because you didn’t shovel your sidewalks in time. Maybe you parked just a bit over a line and the police were called. Maybe he was like the proverb and testified against you and now you want to get him back? Well, the life of revenge. What kind of life is this? A person is never truly paid back. More trouble will always come. Anger that leads to bitterness only hurts yourself. This is why God says that, “He will avenge. He will repay.” [Deuteronomy 32:35] We don’t concern ourselves with that.

If you are like me, you find yourself doing this only in your heart. Coming up with scenarios to get them back or make things right. You turn into John Wayne in your self-talk. But this proverb helpfully tells us things to NOT do rather than things TO do. And don’t forget the whole verse of Leviticus 19 above. I added ALL CAPS to remind us.

“’DO NOT SEEK REVENGE or BEAR A GRUDGE against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.’”

Our world takes great pains to divide us. Our newsfeeds and opinions. This is a time for unity and care, not revenge and bitterness. Going out of your way to harm a neighbor never honors God. And as the Good Samaritan story answered the question: you might be surprised who God considers your neighbors. [Luke 10:29]–JMB