- “For it is better that he say to you, ‘Come up here,’ than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,” v. 7.
- “Do not go hastily to court; for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor has put you to shame?” v. 8.
- “Whoever falsely boasts of giving is like clouds and wind without rain,” v. 14.
- “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his head, and the Lord will reward you,” vv. 21-22.
Meditation on Parallel verses in the New Testament
- “When you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher,’” Luke 14:10.
- “Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison,” Matthew 5:25.
- “They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds,” Jude 1:12.
- “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,” Matthew 5:44.
Revelation on the Spiritual implications of these truths:
- A truly wise and godly person exhibits genuine humility of spirit, avoiding arrogance and presumption.
- A truly wise and godly person is submissive and peaceful, even to his own detriment physically and materially, Matthew 5:38-42.
- A truly wise and godly person makes no show of his charitable generosity . . . is not an empty windbag! Matthew 6:1-4.
- A truly wise and godly person loves, blesses, does good deeds to, and prays for his enemies.
I have been struggling with something lately and reading the full Scripture of Jude 1:12 has helped me put things in perspective:
These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm - Shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted - twice dead.
As Jesus says in Matthew 5:44 I need to bless and pray for those who have caused me angst.
I pray that when you are seeking solace - you too, will find it in the Lord's Words - our Bible - our Messages from God.