Clean Hands

 Read Proverbs 25

The proverbs discuss relationships of various kinds.  The first of note is that of the king.  We might associate this counsel to the chief executives of our age.

Just as when you purify silver, you can make a vessel of value, so too, when the president dismisses the wicked and self-serving from his staff, he can establish a righteous governance.

When the chief executive kicks the sugar-coating counselors to the curb, finally can he rule rightly.

How about when you are in the presence of those of high office?  Don’t just walk up and take the best seat like you own the place.  Practice humility.  Take a place in the back and wait for the official to invite you to a seat at the table.

That’s much better than taking a good seat and then being kicked to the peanut gallery.  What an embarrassing moment that would be. Jesus taught the Pharisees the same lesson.

Here’s one for dealing with others and submitting to the court system of your government.  Today, we might call this the clean hands doctrine, at least in matters of equity.

What is the clean hands doctrine?  Don’t expect a judge or a court to rule in your favor even though you have compelling evidence if your own hands are not clean.

You might argue that you had dirty hands in a completely different matter, but the court will only see your dirty hands.  Watch a crime show where the eyewitness saw exactly what happened—a theft or a carjacking or even a murder, but it turns out that the eyewitness was in the middle of an illegal drug sale when they witnessed the event.

You might think that one thing doesn’t have anything to do with another, but the judge or jury will be influenced by the fact the witness had dirty hands.

The counsel is that if your hands are dirty, it will come out in court.  You might still be compelled to testify, but your dirty hands have become your dirty laundry and just like that became grist for the mill in cross-examination. The things that you would prefer not be known by anyone else are now known by whoever wants to know.

The lesson should be simple.  Just do what is right and stay out of the everything else, then telling the truth will not be as painful.

That lesson continues in the next proverb that cautions you about taking your neighbor to court.  Your dirty laundry will come out and it might be worse than what you have accused your neighbor of doing.

Jesus warned those who would listen to work things out with those who may have wronged you or that you have wronged before resorting to the courts.  If you go to court, you don’t know what will happen. Settle the matter out of court.

Wisdom does not discard the value of kings, executives, and magistrates.

Like apples of gold in settings of silver

    is a ruling rightly given.

Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold

    is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.

Such wisdom is epitomized in the case of the two prostitutes claiming the same baby.  It was, of course, Solomon who gave the ruling to cut the child in half.  The baby’s real mother said to give the child to the other woman.  The woman falsely claiming maternal rights said to go ahead and divide the baby.

Solomon then knew who the real mother was and so ordered that the child not be killed and divided but that it be given to his real mother.

Sometimes it takes a wise person sitting in judgment to bring justice to the world.

We have a judge that is always available to us, but we must have the listening ear.  I like to call that listening ear a teachable spirit.

The word of God judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Let’s wrap up with one more.

Like clouds and wind without rain

    is one who boasts of gifts never given.

You might think this was written for the modern politician.  This group of men and women who seek power surely fall under the umbrella of such counsel.  They promise much and deliver little or nothing.

But the proverb is for us too.  Be careful about boasting of our own greatness or generosity.  If we don’t deliver, then we are a hypocrite.

If we do deliver but must boast about it, was it truly given out of love or was our gift self-serving?

Jesus taught us to give humbly.  Our left hand need not know what our right is doing.  We should give generously because it is our new nature.

What we have discussed here might sound familiar.

If you are in charge, get rid of those advisors whose intentions are not honorable, then you will make good decisions.

Be humble.  Let those in authority recognize you and invite you to a better place at the table.

Everything comes out in court.  If your hands are not clean, be sure that your dirty laundry will be brought to light.  If you can work it out on your own, then do it.

The wise like the ruling of a just magistrate.  Remember that the wise like knowledge, wisdom, instruction, and discipline.  The wise heed the counsel of a wise judge.

Don’t promise what you can’t deliver and if you can and do deliver, don’t brag about it. Be humble.

Be generous, but don’t make a big deal about it.  Let generosity just be your new nature.

Seek Justice. Love mercy.  Walk humbly with your God.

Amen.