Scornful or Humble?

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Scornful or Humble?

"Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor." Proverbs 3:34 (ESV)

SCORNERS: lis (to make mouths at, to scoff, to interpret or intercede)

HUMBLE: anav (depressed in mind or circumstances, saintly); from ana (to depress)

FAVOR: hen (graciousness, kindness, favor, beauty); from hanan (to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior, to favor, bestow, implore)

The word for scorn is to make mouths at, to exaggerate the sound or appearance of someone for the purpose of insult or shame.

Scorners of God exaggerate or twist His Words, turning His truth into a joke or example of shame, bringing others to laughter and preventing them from taking God seriously.

God allows the scorner to mock...more, God returns the scornful behavior back towards the mocker, describing truths even more incredible and incomprehensible to the scornful mind.

To be humble is to be depressed, to consider oneself to be without strength, influence or wealth.

The humble person approaches God with little or nothing to offer. They pray for mercy for the wrong they have done, and they pray for grace for which they do not deserve. They literally bow their head and bend their knees to make themselves physically lower, matching their estimation of themselves in comparison to the One to Whom they approach.

God matches the humble posture. He bends low, placing Himself near to the depressed, identifying with their lowliness and weakness, placing into their hands what they desire: goodness undeserved and free.

Image of scorner courtesy of Clay Junell

Image of humility courtesy of Montecruz Foto, www.montecruzfoto.org

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