Day 271 – Favor

Proverbs 28:23 He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward than he who flatters with the tongue.

• God’s names:
• YAHWEH/JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal
• Christos – Anointed One, Messiah
• Elohiym – Supreme God
• Yeshuwa/Iesous – Jesus
• Hagios Theos – Sacred, Holy, Supreme Divinity

• God’s character:
• Favor

People don’t trust flatterers. Flatterers generally want something from you. They will be your general yes men. Sycophants who please with their mouth and conspire against the people they flatter. A person who rebukes another is trustworthy; they don’t hide behind flattery.

As king of Israel, Solomon saw every manner of person, the flatterers as well as those who weren’t afraid to speak what was on their mind, even if it meant rebuking another person. Solomon knew the Law. He knew the consequences YAHWEH put forth in the law for those who sinned against Him or obeyed Him. He knew YAHWEH didn’t suffer flatterers. The people either obeyed or disobeyed the Law. It was the same in Solomon’s courts.

Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

What kind of person are you in the body of Christos? Do people look to you as someone who can be trusted, or as one who flatters and gives meaningless attention to those in authoritative positions?

Yeshuwa called you to serve, not flatter. When you look at Yeshuwa’s disciples, you can see every manner of person among those who surrounded Him, including a flatterer. Judas openly followed Him, even spoke against some of the things He did like when the woman poured alabaster oil on Yeshuwa. On the outside, Judas obeyed, but secretly, he conspired against Him and betrayed Yeshuwa to the chief priest, who later turned Him over to Pilate for crucifixion.

Flatterers find out too late that what they thought was the right course of action caused trouble for people. Judas didn’t expect that his actions would cause Yeshuwa’s crucifixion. He expected that Yeshuwa would turn on the Romans and bring about their destruction. It was the hope of every Jew to see Rome defeated.

When Judas’ flattery and conspiracy worked against him, he killed himself.

Flatterers will never admit they’re wrong. That’s why Solomon said flatterers weren’t to be trusted, only those who openly rebuked another person could be trusted and earned favor.

Why did you become a Christian? Did you want to know what was in it for you? Yes, you knew Yeshuwa offered eternal life. Did you want more than a place at the table?

What did Isaiah say about those who wanted more?

Isaiah 14:12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of Elohiym; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ 15 Yet you will be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the pit. 16 Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms, 17 who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, who did not open the house of his prisoners?’ 18 All the kings of the nations, all of them, sleep in glory, everyone in his own house; 19 but you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, Like the garment of those who are slain, thrust through with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a corpse trodden underfoot. 20 You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land and slain your people. The brood of evildoers will never be named.

Yeshuwa knows who belongs to Him and who obeys Him and serves Him with a willing heart, not a deceitful heart that seeks its own pleasure and not the pleasure of the one they are supposed to serve.

John 17:11 “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Hagios Theos, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

Everyone serves a purpose, even flatterers. Elohiym needed a betrayer, a person who pursued his agenda while flattering with his tongue and looked subservient so that Yeshuwa could complete His purpose — your salvation.

Judas never repented. He killed himself and we know according to the prayer in John above that his soul is in hell.

Before you open your mouth and speak flattering words, think about what you say and who you’re saying them to and turn your life around. Become faithful instead of faithless, serving Yeshuwa instead of expecting Yeshuwa to serve you.

Let’s pray: Father, take charge of my tongue. Let me be faithful to You in everything I do and say. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 17 October 2026 by Valerie Routhieaux

May God bless you with His favor as you serve Him with faithfulness and honor.

Faithful Journey Publishing