The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Proverbs 3:33

In order to represent God in a balanced Scriptural way, we need to see both the grace and mercy of God as well as His wrath and justice.  When we turn too far toward one without the balance of the other we can make God either a tyrant - or an indulgent parent.  He is neither.

Here we read of God - and see Him in balance.  First we see that the curse of God is on the house of the wicked.  The wicked are those who are enemies of God and His people.  They do not want to learn righteousness, but choose instead to actively pursue wicked ways.  At first we may be a little shocked by these words - that God has a curse for those who live this way - but the fact is that this is true.  It is a proper representation of God, and one that we should be alert and aware of in life.  Too many want to make God out to be an indulgent parent who winks at sin.  God has never winked at sin.  What was poured out on the Lord Jesus Christ is God's final statement about sin.  He poured wrath and judgment out upon His Son, when He became sin.  What God shows to the wicked is both patience and mercy.  He is patient with them in that He does not bring judgment upon them immediately upon their first sin.  But His mercy goes far beyond a "first sin," to the point where God is withholding His wrath on billions of sins every day.  He does this because He loves us - and because He loves to show mercy.  But that mercy will not last forever.  There will be a day when God's mercy will end - and then the wicked will face a judgment unlike anything we can ever imagine.  Though His judgment is awaiting the wicked - His lack of immediate action is not due to anything except His infinite mercies that are allowing the lost, the wicked to receive another day to hear the gospel and repent.

The righteous though - are blessed.  Their dwelling place will know the blessing and goodness of God.  What we may fail to see is that the only way we can be righteous in God's sight is to believe the gospel - to be made righteous by faith.  But oh how the blessings are released upon us when we respond to the gospel and receive what God has to offer.  First, He gives us the very righteousness of Christ as a gift - and then blessings flow freely to us.  Ephesians reminds us of the richeness of these blessings in the entire first chapter.  God has indeed blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus!  What is even more wonderful is that this passage reminds us that these wonderful blessings are passed to our entire household or dwelling place when we receive them.  There is a blessing in the home of the godly - just as there is a curse on the house of the wicked. 

Let me close today's comments with a question.  What are you bringing on your home with your choices spiritually?  Are you a conduit of blessing because of your submission and obedience to God, or are you something much different?  Does your family and friends rise up and call you blessed because of how God's grace is evident in you - and even evident to the point of blessing others around you?  That is what the truly wise person brings to their family and friends.  They bring blessing because of God's blessing in their lives.  May God make us a wonderful blessing to those around us!

The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; He who is cursed of the LORD will fall into it. Proverbs 22:14

Here is a take in Proverbs that turns conventional wisdom on its ear.  It has to do with the adulteress - and with the man who seems to be having all the so-called success with the ladies.  Whereas the world wants us to think that this ladies man has it made - the Word of God here in Proverbs has a much different take on his status. 

The adulteress, as we've learned in previous verses (5:3 and 7:5) catches men with her mouth.  Her enticing words draws them in - and prevents them from seeing that they are not stepping into pure pleasure - but rather a trap.  Here, in keeping with the previous warnings, is another statement that her mouth is a deep pit.  Such pits where used for capturing animals and killing or making them slaves of the one who caught them.  These pits were usually covered with camouflage to make their presence unknown until the animal stepped into them.  By that time it was too late - they were either caught or dead.  The same is true of the adulteress.  She will hide her real intent with compliments and appeals to the ego of the fool she is trying to catch.  He, being a fool, does not see the danger in another man's wife giving him praise.  In the end, he falls for the deception and later falls into the trap.  This is not new to us - but the fact that now for at least the third time a warning is given about this should make us very cautious when a woman other than our wife begins giving us compliments and starts stroking our ego.

What I find shocking about this passage is the second statement made here.  "He who is cursed of Jehovah will fall there."  The reason that this is shocking is because we are told that one of the ways we can know that God has cursed someone - is that they are involved in sexual immorality - and even more so - that they are so involved in an adulterous affair.  The world shows us the quintisential ladies man - and then says to us that this man is blessed.  He has the ladies lining up for him.  We are told that he can have any woman he wants - and that this is a sign of being blessed.  The truth is much different - as it always is when it comes to the lies of the world and of Satan.  Contrary to this worldly view - the man who is involved in sexual immorality with someone else's wife - is cursed of God.  This is one of the ways that God brings His curse upon men.  He allows them to enter into such foolish sexual sin. 

Think about this for a moment.  Since this is true - then we should consider the sexual studs of the world - stupid.  We should look at the playboys that are held up for honor and respect - men who are worthy only of shame and disgrace.  We should see men like High Hefner not as models for us - but as morons.  This are not men of honor - but examples of horror!  The man who falls into sexual immorality is CURSED OF GOD!  Wow!  There is a turn of things for all of humanity.  The wise man does not follow the world in its estimation of who is to be counted as worthy and who is worthless.  These things are ultimately decided by God - Who has given us His estimation of things in His Word.  If therefore the Word tells us those whom the world calls blessed are cursed - know that they are cursed indeed.  Therefore the best thing we can do is reject the worldly ideas of manhood and a life worth living, and give ourselves to how our God views this world.  

He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning, It will be reckoned a curse to him. Proverbs 27:14

Ah, we come to the proverb written to remind morning people like myself that not everyone else is a morning person.  It is also written to remind us that some wake up and become conscious at a much slower rate than others.  This also means that they are far more sensitive to sound and obnoxious morning people than we who are the obnoxious morning people realize.  Thus, for the sake of their early morning sanity - as well as for the sake of our susceptibility to being hit by a accurately thrown alarm clock - it is wise for us to be gracious to the non-morning person. 

This proverb really has special meaning to me.  I am what is called a "disgusting morning person."  That is the person who doesn't just wake up early in the morning - but - who can wake up and within about 30 seconds be in a good mood, whistling as I walk down the hallway to the kitchen.  This trait, although a blessing to me, is viewed by the typical non-morning person as - well - as what Proverbs says it is here - a curse. 

Yes, I've been guilty of awakening the members of my very patient family with my loudness in the morning hours.  I've learned that the following actions are not welcome in the morning.  Singing in the shower - especially the happy type of songs I tend to sing at that hour of the morning.  Awakening people with the statement, "Rise and shine!"  Being incredulous that everyone else in the house does not awaken with a spring in their step.  Walking with "said springy step" down the hallway (which has wooden floors) with any kind of shoes that make noise.  Any whistling whatsoever - before the second coming of Christ.  I jest about these things because they've been brought up at least 10 times by those around me.  I was once labeled by the sweetest lady I've ever known besides my wife - as the loudest man in the world in the mornings. 

The wisdom in this proverb is for those of us who are morning people - and for those who wake up first in a household - as well as amongst friends.  It has to do with being considerate and courteous.  When we act like this early in the morning - we are being rude to those who do not wake up early.  Just as we who rise early would not appreciate someone playing loud music and stomping around the house past midnight (for me past about 10:30 p.m.) because it would keep us awake, so our counterparts who are night owls do not appreciate us not just rising with the early bird, but trying to outsing him before the sun rises.  It is just a matter of kindness and good manners. 

The guy we wake up with a loud voice - even if we are speaking a blessing - will not appeciate our "Sally-sunshine" comments.  We are to live iwth others according to THEIR need - not our desire.  Learning this wisdom will save you from a myriad of problems - not just with non-morning people - but with anyone who is not exactly like you. 

He who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. Proverbs 17:13

What kind of person would receive good from someone - and decide to repay them with evil in return?  That is the question that comes to mind when reading today's proverb.  That question is not answered in this statement.  What is told to us is what such a wicked man should expect to receive from the hand of God. 

The Lord does not look kindly on one who receives good and returns evil for it.  We are told that for such a one, evil will not depart from his house.  A good example of this principle at work is the house of David.  David received good from the hand of Uriah the Hittite.  Uriah had ignoble beginnings, being a Hittite.  These people were not looked upon favorably by the Lord.  In spite of this Uriah decided to draw near to God.  At the time Uriah came to David, he was in distress because of the persecution and suspicion of King Saul.  Nevertheless, Uriah joined up with David and became one of David's mighty men.  He fought courageously with David and stuck with him through thick and thin.  For Uriah, there was far more thin than thick.  He stayed true though - even to the point of returning home from active duty due to the command of the king.  When Uriah came home David invited him to a wonderful feast - during which time they drank and enjoyed enough wine for Uriah to become drunk.  David then sent him down to his house and to his wife.  But Uriah was a very faithful man and chose not to have sex with his wife - knowing that his men were enjoying no such respite from war while he was away.  Mysteriously to Uriah, he was asked to come the next night for the same kind of sumptuous meal - and as he drank to please the king - he once again was seeminly led to get drunk.  Once again he was sent to his home by his king - but chose a second night to live as his men lived, sleeping outside his home - and apart from his wife.  Little did Uriah know that this choice would cost him and several of his men their lives. 

David was guilty of committing adultery with Bathsheba, Uriah's wife.  He was also guilty of getting her pregnant.  His invitation to Uriah was not one given honestly - but was a cover for getting Uriah to sleep with his wife as a cover for David's immorality.  When this ploy did not work - David then had Uriah placed at the front lines of the battle - to be withdrawn from and killed.  Uriah fell in battle - along with several of his men faithfully fighting by his side.  Having been faithful to David and God - they did so to their deaths.  The only thing unknown to them was that their deaths were not the result of the enemy - but rather a death sentence handed down from an ungrateful and immoral king.  Some might cry foul here - and wonder how God could continue to bless David.  Know this - He did not - until David came in broken-hearted repentance to God.

David paid dearly for repaying good with evil.  I find it interesting that his son wrote these words.  Solomon knew that the upheaval in his home and among his brothers was due to the sin of his father.  I do not believe Solomon wrote this out of anger - just out of fact.  David's household paid dearly for David's treachery.  His two oldest sons died violent deaths as a result.  One of his grandchildren was raped - and 10 of his concubines were raped in broad daylight in front of the entire nation.  His kingdom was taken from him by his own son - who later died for his own treachery.  David knew very well that when you repay evil for good that you never have evil depart from your house.  Most likely he was the one who taught Solomon this truth from the Lord - and he most likely also warned his son of the horrific price that he had to pay for committing that very sin against God. 

When someone does us good - we need to be sure that we return them good for what they've done.  One of the best ways to be certain to follow this path is to be very grateful for whatever good comes your way.  Thank God for what He has given you and thank others for what they do for you as well.  Be certain to think highly of those who bless you - and do all that you can to repay everyone who does good to you in kind.  This is a proverb that has been fulfilled for us right before our eyes in Scripture.  Therefore we need to heed that warning - and always be sure to return good for good.  The cost for ignoring this - and doing the opposite is hefty.  You do not want to pay it!