Words of Hope

A Word Study on the Biblical Word "Hope"

Study #10 - "Hope for Human Reformation"

Two more groupings of the Hebrew word tiqwa (a confident hope) remain for our study:  Three verses dealing with the hope of human reformation and six verses dealing with the hope of Israel's restoration. The three references that have to do with human reformation are all found in the book of Proverbs: 

1) Proverbs 19:18 - "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying."

2) Proverbs 26:12 - "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him."  And the third verse is a close parallel to the second one:

3) Proverbs 29:20 - "Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him."  All of these verses speak of a potential hope for the correction or conversion of a human life.  The very nature of a proverb, including these Biblical proverbs, limits the application to what may normally be expected while allowing for contingencies that may produce exceptions to the norm.  In other words, we are now dealing with probabilities rather than certainties.  Our hope that is placed in God is always a confident expectation as we have seen in our previous studies, but our hope in human beings is a conditional expectation.  While God never changes in His nature, nor falters in His promises, human beings are limited by their sinful natures and often fail in their intentions.  Having noted the possibility of exceptions to the human expectations expressed in these proverbs, we may now make a few observations.  The first reference is to the potential hope of a parent for a chastened child.  This is a hope that is expressed in a very positive manner.  The probability of reformation for a chastened child is very good, but it is limited by the timely correction of the child - "while there is hope", and by the firm consistency of the parent - "and let not thy soul spare for his crying."  We are witnessing in our times the loss of any parental hopes for an entire generation of children who were either never disciplined or who were disciplined neither early nor firmly!  The only potential for hope in our children is to follow the Biblical commands to discipline our children before all hope is lost. Discipline is never pleasant for the parent or the child, but as Adam Clarke noted,  "... it is better that the child may be caused to cry, when the correction may be healthful to his soul, than that the parent should cry afterwards, when the child is grown to man's estate, and his evil habits are sealed for life."  This truth may be illustrated and confirmed by the other two proverbs in our study.  While the potential hope for a chastened child may be a positive one, the potential hope for a conceited thinker or a quick talker is a comparatively poor one.  In fact, there is not only more hope for a child than for them, but there is more hope of a fool than for them!  A fool (a person slow or dull of understanding) may at least be taught the truth, but once a person thinks that he is already wise or talks as though he has all of the answers, it is nearly impossible to teach them anything.  Very few adults will ever listen to correction or be willing to reform their lives once they have become settled in their character or conduct.  Worse yet, very few adults will ever be converted by the grace of God through faith in Christ once their hearts and minds have become hardened to the Gospel.  Proverbs 3:7 warns, "Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil."  The apostle Paul said, "Be not wise in your own conceits" (Romans 12:16).  This verse is even addressed to Christians.  There is always a great danger in becoming conceited and unteachable, i.e. wise in our own thinking or estimation.  Isaiah cried out, "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" (Isaiah 5:21).  These verses give us some insight into the nature of the quick talker of Proverbs 29:20 as well.  There is a reason that the wording and warning is so similar to that dealing with the conceited thinker.  This is a person who is quick to give his opinion and view, but is unwilling to listen to anyone else.  More to the point, he is quick to argue with God's word and always has a reason why his way is better.  Such a person, like the conceited man, greatly limits any potential hope for his correction or conversion.  The hope for his reformation is comparatively slim, even to that of a fool's.  James offers some inspired commentary on this verse:  "let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak ..." (James 1:19).  This is especially important when hearing the Word of God!  "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves" (James 1:22).  "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his own tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain" (James 1:26).  Yes, the greatest hindrance to the hope of human reformation is the attitude of the human heart, and the only confident hope of human reformation is the regeneration of the human heart through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new"(IICor. 5:17).