One who gives an honest answer
gives a kiss on the lips.
Proverbs 24:26
I'm not sure I like this Proverb. While I may want an honest answer from my auto mechanic, I'm pretty certain that I don't want a kiss on the lips from him!
Nevertheless, I know what it means: Honesty is a rare and welcome greeting!
Elsewhere in Proverbs, it says, "Honest balances and scales are the Lord's; all the weights in the bag are his work." Again, I know what it means: There is so much dishonesty in this world, that honesty is rare, welcome, and usually a pretty good sign of God's presence.
As we continue our journey through the book of Genesis, we hear about honesty again. Joseph (the Governor of Egypt) says to his brothers (who don't recognize him), "42:19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here [while] the rest of you ... go and ... 20 bring your youngest brother to me."
Joseph said this, of course, because honesty had been rare with his brothers. Instead of figuratively kissing him on the lips, they had, once before, literally sold him into slavery. On the scales of justice, Joseph's brothers were weighted crookedly.
Everyone of us crafts a name and a reputation for ourselves. If we're crooked, we'll likely spend the rest of our lives trying to prove ourselves. So let's try a path of integrity and see if we don't receive a kiss of peace.
In Christ's Love,
a guy who's wife doesn't
like to kiss him anymore
(I hope it has more to do with
my new beard than my old character)
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