Rescuing from Danger – Proverbs 24:11

In 2012, the National Weather Service entered into the Wireless Emergency Alerts system, which is voluntarily supported by wireless providers.  Since that time, the system has sent out more than 40,000 alerts to the more than 99% of wireless subscribers who automatically participate in the program across the US, according to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association.  This advance in technology can save lives in ways traditional alerting via television and radio cannot.  Researchers saw the fact that people were sleeping, and were therefore unwarned, as perhaps the biggest contributor to nocturnal tornado fatalities. [cnn.com]

Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. (Proverbs 24:11, ESV)

Who is being taken away to death or stumbling to the slaughter?  It is everyone who does not fear Yahweh, or in our parlance we would say, everyone who does not know Jesus.  And because they don’t know Him their lives are guided only by their own devices and even the lies of demons.  They are, as Paul said, following the world, the flesh and the devil (Ephesians 2:1-4).

I have made a new friend who is Hare Krishna.  Part of me wants to convince him of his error because it is error and I feel equipped to controvert error.  But what God really wants me to do is love him enough to care that he is stumbling to the slaughter.  If I saw him walking toward a precipice unawares I would surely shout out for him to stop immediately and look ahead of him to see what I see.  And that would be the most appropriate way to rescue him.

But for someone who has committed themselves to a belief system there is a more appropriate way to rescue them.  I have to learn his views and care enough about him that he wants to know my views and gently but firmly help him see the error of his views.  And even if he doesn’t see the error I must still care that he is perishing and remain his friend and find ways to help him see the truth.  Of course, that will mean praying for him, because only God can bring us to the truth.