Proverbs 11:30 ESV
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures souls is wise.
[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+11%3A30&version=ESV]
The good deeds of a man are a blessing upon that man and upon those around him (Gen. 22:18; 18:18-33). As this verse says, the fruit- the results- of the righteous man’s life is a fount of blessing- a tree of life- to others.
‘The man who captures souls’ is an opaque phrase to our modern eyes and ears. The meaning, however, is not difficult to grasp. It says in plain words what the world is. On a very shallow level, the man who can convince another, who can capture his mind and heart, must have a good understanding of human nature. On a deeper level, God uses men of wisdom to call men to Him, to bring them into His presence. While wisdom it not indispensable- the power of God is truly vast-, God uses these wise men as His chosen and blessed tools. This action, this capability, can therefore be an indicator of wisdom in a man.
One pit that must here be avoided is the pit of confusing false conversion for the real thing. Wisdom and Biblical counsel must be applied to tell whether a person is regenerate or not. Even so, one man can never be entirely sure of another man’s soul. Be careful, therefore, to not confuse emotional turmoil, bad doctrine, and presumption for the genuine article- repentance, orthodoxy, and faith.
God Bless.
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.
