Friday!

Proverbs!

A person who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.

Proverbs 29:5 CSB

Neighbour here is the word "rea" which can mean friend, companion, neighbour, another person in our life. 

When we flatter them according to this proverb, something else happens which may not be part of the original intent.

A net for the feet is spread. 

Something tangles us up, we get caught up in something that can slow us down, hold us in place, trip us and/or our friend, companion, neighbour, workmate, flatmate, employee, boss, student, partner, trip us up.

It's the heart beneath flattery that tangles and trips. Because flattery has an agenda, to get something, to achieve something that is not for the good of the other person. Flattery wants to build someone else up to gain something. 

And this proverb reminds us that's a trap for both the person who is being flattered, and the one doing the flattering.

Yes encourage one another, yes build one another up, but do it for the good of the other.

Love does not entangle or trip but makes the way smooth for one another.

It's a heart thing.

Our hearts motives can be tricky which is why proverbs like this pop up to encourage us to keep checking, checking our hearts, so that nets are just used for fishing not entangling our feet.

#proverbs

#wisdom

#somethingtochewon 

#itsaheartthing

#netsareforfishing