Noble People
plan noble things
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 32:6-8
The ESV uses the word “noble” in place of “liberal” which is found in earlier English translations of verse 8. The word means a generous person or someone with what we would call a “big heart.” It is someone who is devoted to the welfare of others and is turned inward on himself.
Verse 8 is written in a poetic form. The whole of the poem includes verses 6 through 8. There are three stanzas and each one is shorter than the one preceding it. The first two (verses 6 and 7) have three lines. The first focuses on a characteristic activity of a type of person. The second line is on the inward nature of the person. Then, the third line considers the impact of that kind of person’s life.
The third stanza, the one in which the noble person is considered, leaves off the last line. It doesn’t spell out for us the impact of a noble person’s life in detail. All that is necessary to know is that a person is noble. If a person has a noble (generous, giving, selfless) character, everything else will flow from that.
The noble person naturally plans to do noble things. They will take a stand on that which is noble. Be noble. Align yourself with noble people.
