Looking through some of my notes, I came across these maxims
attributed to Publius Syrus, who lived in the first century B.C.:
“From the errors of others a wise man corrects his own.”
“Many receive advice, few profit by it.”
Publius Syrus (also spelled Publilius) was a Syrian who was taken to
Italy as a slave and found favor with his master who later freed and
educated him.
Then I started to think of the stories and parables found in the
Bible. The Scriptures are full of accounts of the errors committed by
others, and God-given advice for our own good. But how many people apply
the lessons of the scriptures to their own lives? What good does it do
if you own a Bible and never study it for yourself, or if you take the
errors of Biblical characters as models for your behavior?
An example of people using the Bible to glorify God’s enemies is
found in Genesis 10:8-9, 1 Chronicles 1:10, and Micah 5:6. How often we
hear hunters proudly calling themselves “Nimrods”! Actually, the people
descended from Nimrod were considered to be the enemies of God, and to
be like Nimrod is to go against God’s will. Do you remember the tower of
Babel and how displeased the Lord was with the people?
Genesis 10:8-11
8 Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became a mighty one on
the earth.
9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said,
"Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD."
10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad
and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
~ New American Standard Bible
David is another Biblical character who did evil in the sight of the
Lord; but he repented of his ungodly actions. Nimrod did not repent.
Then there is the well-known story of the woman caught in adultery who
was about to be stoned to death. (John 8) Jesus saves her life, then
tells her to go her way and, “From now on sin no more.” And what about
Paul, who started out as an enemy of God, repented, and became an
Apostle? (Acts 9)
It seems as though most people want to wallow in the “lowest common
denominator” of this fallen world, rather than to seek the perfection
Jesus spoke about in Matthew 5:48:
48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is
perfect.
~ New American Standard Bible
These are just a few examples of how the Bible can help us to correct
our errors and profit from Godly advice, if we are willing to face the
truth and not to try to justify our errors.
