Calvary Chapel of Jonesboro
 
Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way; He who hates reproof will die. Proverbs 15:10

What happens when we depart from God's ways?  According to this passage in Proverbs there is a very serious consequence for us when we do this.  Even worse is what awaits us if we go even further than this and reject God's reproof after we've left his ways. 

What is at stake here?  Well, what drives this particular proverb is the idea of "forsaking the way."  "The way," refers to God's way - the way of his commandments.  Several times the phrase, "the way of the Lord" is used to refer to this.  If you want to understand it better you can turn to the 119th Psalm which calls it by various names like, "the way of righteousness," "the way of Your testimonies," "the way of Your precepts," "the way of Your statutes," as well as what we've already said as the way of God's commandments.  This way is the commands and the things God calls us to be and to do in His Word.  When we "forsake" this way, we are doing the following.  We no longer listen carefully to God's Word - we don't pay heed to it or obey it.  But the core idea here is no longer listening or paying attention to someone.  That Someone here is God.  In case you do not know what this means - it means as you listen - you do so in order to respond and obey God.

What happens when we forsake God's way?  The Word here says that we face "grevious punishment."  The word translated for this is the Hebrew word "ra" - and it simply means, bad things!  When you no longer walk with God, listen to Him, or obey Him - bad things are going to eventually happen in your life.  This is the case no matter whether you are His or not.  If you take a close look at the progress (or regress) of the world around you, you can see that ignoring and forsaking God's ways has never led to a world of peace and blessing.  By its very nature this world works best when God's ways and paths are followed.  When they are ignored - or worse - shunned, things go bad.  This is a fait accompli - an established fact! 

Now a second warning is also issued at this point - and I think it is a reminder that God's rebuke and reproof are proofs of His love - not hate.  When we forsake God's way, we will face bad things, but when we go further and ignore His loving reproof of those ways and continue in rebellion - we are headed toward death.  It is God's great mercy and love that arrests us in our rebellion with disciplinary action.  He allows difficulties and problems to come to us to turn us from the insanity of abandoning His ways.  But when we are too stubborn to listen - we are moving toward death itself.  What is terrifying is the warning in 1 John that there is a sin leading unto death - a point at which a disciplinary measure from God involves having a person die.  Wisdom tells us to respond to His discipline and His reproof quickly - so that we will not have to go that far.

One last comment on this passage.  These two truths are just that - truth.  But they had their most astounding fulfillment in the cross of Jesus Christ.  It was there that we saw the most grievous punishment imaginable.  It had nothing to do with the Roman scourage or the nails in the hands of our Savior.  It had little or nothing to do with the agony of the cross physically as Jesus gapsed for air as His torn and bruised body slowly died on the cross.  But it had everything to do with why Jesus sweat blood the night before in the garden.  It had everything to do with the agony of the wrath and judgment of God upon sin.  Calling it a grevious punishment seems too small in light of what it truly cost Christ to pay for our sin before His holy Father.  That is why we should never take sin in our lives lightly.  Yes, our sin was paid in full by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross - but we should always view that truth with both trembling and a sense of honor to God for what He did for us.  Otherwise we will take sin too lightly - and risk thinking that forsaking His way really is not that bad - and it really won't cost us much.  There is foolish talk that reaches to the heavens themselves - and the kind of talk that will give rise to actions that will in the end yield that grevious punishment and stinging rebuke.

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Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease. Proverbs 22:10

How do you get rid of strife and contention in a group?  That is what God wants us to be instructed in today in Proverbs.  He is about to tell us about the horrific fellow known as the "scoffer."  Wherever this man is - there is trouble and strife about to break loose.  When we learn how to identify and rid ourselves of him and his ilk, we will find that the dishonor and disunity will go away as well.

The word scoffer refers to someone who loves to mock, scorn, deride with great contempt to anyone but himself.  The scoffer loves to express his utter contempt with someone with whom he disagrees.  He knows nothing of positive criticism - he only knows of mocking and seeking to scorn his enemies.  It is not enough for him to merely disagree - he must do it in the most disagreeable way possible!  He knows only how to show complete and absolute contempt toward those he finds in his philosophical crosshairs. 

A wise man knows that mocking his detractors will usually yield him some serious enemies.  Very rarely does this tactic yield converts to his way of thinking.  Heaping a mocking shame and disgrace on others is not a positive way to communicate a message which you desire to use to change someone's mind and thinking.  But that is what the scoffer excells at in life.  As a result when he comes around you will also find contention, strife, and dishonor.  He will use his words to strike up fights among people.  He loves to fight - and loves to accelerate an argument to the point of intense strife.  He also loves to see dishonor come to his opponents.  He cares little what happens to the organization in which he is wreaking his havoc.  He only cares for his own ungodly thoughts and desires.  The more damage he can render to his opponents - the better he sees the outcome of his actions. 

There is one response to such a man - get him out!  Scripture says that we are to "drive out" this kind of man.  Too often we want to try to win him over to our way of thinking.  That is NOT going to happen - because he is un-winnable while he is a scoffer.  The New Testament tells us to reject a factious man after a warning.  We are not to have a three strikes policy with such dangerous men.  Get their contention-stimulating behavior and conversation thrown out of the assembly of God's people.  This man knows nothing about how to walk in unity with others.  He only airs his own opinions and contentious thoughts.  He cares nothing for those of others.  The best thing we can offer him - is the way out.  This may sound hard - but when dealing with a scoffer, you are not dealing with someone who can be won over.  Therefore the best thing to do is to follow the godly advice of Solomon - drive him out!
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A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool. Proverbs 17:10

God gave me a wonderful man who has a heart after Him to be my mentor.  His name is John Dale Rector.  John Dale spent 3 years of his life teaching and training me in the things of the Lord.  He taught by precept and by example.  He also had his hands full as I was a proverbial bull in a china shop with my zeal that lacked wisdom.  Thus John Dale had to spend more than his fair share of time rebuking me for my excesses.  Thus he taught me a very important verse of Scripture and had me memorize it early in my walk with the Lord.  The verse says, "Let a righteous man strike me, it is a kindness."  That particular verse has a lot to do with what today's proverb has to teach us.

I am an advocate for both verbal and corporal punishment.  There is a time for rendering blows to fools.  One of those times in during childhood where the responsibility of the parent is to train up a child in the way he should go.  It is a time where through loving discipline (which includes spanking) a parent seeks to teach a child what he should and should not do.  The parent is not trying to dominate the child or to crush his spirit.  The parent IS seeking to help a child grasp what is acceptable and unacceptable to God and to society.  But the end of that corporal punishment is to train a child to be a young man or woman who knows two things.  First he or she knows how to accept rebuke from the Spirit of God.  This happens as he or she is walking through life and about to make un ungodly or unwise decision.  The Spirit of God then rises up within to remind of Scripture, to offer correction and guidance with the Word.  Some times the Spirit just activates our conscience and we are smitten with a bad sense or feeling - or we just know that what we are about to do, or have done, is wrong.  What we desire to do with our children (and in training disciples in the church) is to have them be responsive to that rebuke - to that warning from within.

The second way that a parent and discipler wants to train up their charge is to have them be responsive to people who come to them with a word of rebuke.  It would be wonderful if everyone who offered such rebuke were being constructive with it - but we all know that is a perfect world and not the real one.  The truth is that even non-constructive criticism can be beneficial to us.  Therefore we want to be open to all rebuke.  The wise thing is to receive the rebuke and be thankful for it.  Then take it to the Lord and ask Him to confirm what is in agreement with what He is doing through the Word of God.  Then take what God affirms and use it to grow into all the fullness of Jesus Christ in our character and actions.  This is how to allow rebuke to go deep within us - rather than just bounce off of us as we reject it outright. 

The Scripture tells us that in order for this to happen, we have to be one who has "understanding."  This is the ability to discern and perceive truth from error - right from wrong - God from the flesh and the world - the work of the Holy Spirit from the work of the devil.  We discern an pay attention to what God saying to us.  Because of this we truly understand the will of God - and grow wiser because we have learned to see things from His perspective. 

The proverb tells us that this ability to receive rebuke and understanding from goes deeper into us than a hundred blows into a fool.  An interesting thing is that God instructed not to give corporal punishment beyond 39 blows at any time.  There is the penalty of imprisonment and even the death penalty that is applied by the state to crimes against society.  But God knows that a hundred blows as opposed to 39 would not bring wisdom and understanding into a fool.  There is a point where no amount of corporal punishment is effective.  The fool rejects all of it - verbal rebuke as well as any kind of physical punishment.  Thus we know that all that is left to us is intercessory prayer that God will ultimately break the fool and open his heart to begin to understand. 

When I read this proverb, I am thankful to those whom God uses to offer rebuke into my life.  Let me be perfectly honest that often it is hard to receive the rebuke - and yes, it hurts.  But those who wound us can be healers.  Remember that when a surgeon does his work he has to injure us before he can take out the cancer that will kill us.  We consider the incision made by his knife a good thing - because it is ultimately working healing into our lives.  Remember that the next time you receive some verbal surgery through a brother or sister in Christ who loves you.  Those words will bring blessing into your life if you receive them and allow God to work through them.  If it is hard to remember that - just remember this instead.  I'd rather have some verbal surgery - than a hundred blows on my back!
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Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you. Proverbs 9:8

Wisdom manifests itself in how we receive reproof.  Here we see two people who experience reproof or correction.  How they respond to that reproof has everything to do with whether they are a fool or whether they are wise.

First we see a person who is called a scoffer.  The word "scoffer" means one who boasts, scorns, mocks, or derides another.  The reason that the scoffer does this is to express utter contempt of the person or comment that has been made to him.  The context for the scoffers utter contempt is that of having someone reprove him.  When he faces correction he reacts with complete disdain for the one who has offered the correction.  To emphasize his disgust for the person who has tried to offer correction or constructive criticism, we read that this scoffer will hate them. 

There are those who bristle immediately to any correction or reproof offered to them.  This indicates that they are indeed a fool.  To say that one does not need any correction is to say that one is perfect.  It is indeed a sad thing to watch someone who thinks in their own mind that they are the manifestation of perfection itself.  They are above criticism - because everything they do and everything they say is without flaw.  First of all this is the highest form of arrogance and pride.  We all make mistakes and have flaws.  When someone offers us correction - whether constructive or not - it is an opportunity for us to embrace humility and see ourselves improve.  Second, when we reject correction, we are saying that we ourselves are the judge of what is right and wrong.  The fool rejects any evaluation of himself - and chooses his own horrifically flawed and prejudiced view of himself as truth.  That is the only way he or she can be deceived enough to think that they are above criticism.  Finally, the fool who rejects correction is actually rejecting love.  It is love that often motivates people to correct us.  That is the motivation of loving parents and others who only desire us to succeed and prosper.  It is the motivation of God who desires us to be a partaker of His righteousness.  But the fool who rejects all this - rejects the very ones who love him the most. 

The wise man loves the one who reproves him.  He understands that someone who is reproving him is not against him, but for him.  This word reprove means to argue and convince, and was used to speak of those who would "prove" something.  We need to see this word in this way because "proving" something was done by submitting it to the heat of a crucible - for the purpose of refining it.  This was done only for one of two reasons.  You proved something either to make it more valuable - or to make it stronger.  The scoffer sees reproof as an attack - or as inaccurate information being used to hurt him.  The wise man sees the reproof as something positive.  He is being refined so that impurities are removed from his life.  He is being refined so that weaknesses are taken out.  He is being refined to be even more valuable in the Lord's work.  He is being refined to be more valuable to God's kingdom and people.  The reproof is making him stronger - better - richer.  As he receives the reproof this way - the correction does its work - and he is blessed as a result.

It is not fun or pleasant to be reproved or corrected.  If it was - everyone would want it all the time in their lives.  The fool looks at reproof only through eyes that see the negative.  He is too focused on his own comfort and his own ego being protected at all costs.  The wise man looks beyond the possible unpleasantness of the moment.  He sees the value of refining and the blessing of having potentially harmful things removed from this character.  He knows the benefit of this experience will far outweigh its problems and difficulties.  If we want to be wise, we too will begin to love those who reprove us and help us to become more Christlike - and of greater use to our Master.
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Apply your heart to discipline And your ears to words of knowledge. Proverbs 23:12

This is a simple admonition here in Proverbs - and yet if we will look at it carefully, it will yield to us some very helpful information. 

The first thing we see is that we are to apply our heart to discipline.  The word "apply" here means, "to bring to" - thus what God is saying to us is that we need to bring our hearts to something.  Here we read that what we bring our hearts to is discipline.  The word discipline is "musar" which means to instruct with discipline.  It refers most often to the discipline given by a father - both by word and by the rod. 

It is very easy when discipline is applied to us for us to not allow it to reach the heart.  We may hear the words - and receive the correction - but we do not bring our hearts to it.  True correction and discipline is for the heart - not the bottom.  It might be applied to the rear end with the rod - but the aim in these things needs to be directly to the heart.  Those who protest the use of the rod see the issue being striking a child - and they see it as evil in all circumstances.  But the godly parent is not aiming for the rear end alone.  They want to instruct with their discipline.  They want their words and their use of the rod to affect the heart of the child.  If you have their heart - in the end you will truly change their behavior.  What Solomon is saying though, is for the one receiving the discipline.  Apply your heart to what God is trying to teach you. 

If you are like me - there are times when you bristle at discipline.  It is not pleasant to have God apply the rod to us.  It is not a delightful thing for us to be corrected and rebuked.  But when God grants us discipline it is only for our best interests.  We can be absolutely assured of this.  Therefore we need to train ourselves to receive it joyfully - gratefully - and educationally.  If we do, maybe we won't need a second dose of discipline to complete the job for us. 

The second admonition here is that we also apply our ears to words of knowledge.  Knowledge here refers to more than just head-learning.  Solomon is telling us about a knowing of God and His ways.  He refers to a working knowledge - a practical knowledge - intimate knowledge - knowledge that truly changes the way we act.  The verb "apply" is assumed here - thus we are told to bring our ears to this knowledge that God is seeking to give us.  It is more than just hearing it - it is concentrated listening.  It is listening to learn and to apply it to one's life.  This is key to us becoming wise. 

If we will truly bring our hearts and ears to what God is seeking to communicate to us, we will be blessed greatly.  God longs for us to be wise and to know and follow Him with all our hearts.  These two practices - bringing our hearts to times of discipline - and bringing our ears to hear obediently what God says to us - will assure that we grow and personally experience all the godliness that God desires to give us when He works and speaks in our lives.
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The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. Proverbs 21:5

Planning, to some this word is a blessing - to others (and honestly, I have to say I'm among this number) it is a difficult area of their lives.  Yet the Lord has some very pointed things to say here to us about the blessing that comes from diligent planning rather than hastily put together things that happen at the last minute.

We read first here that the plans of the diligent surely lead to advantage.  The word "plans" will help us to see what is meant here.  The word means a thought, purpose, or intention.  The idea is that we are thinking through things - considering their purpose and intention - and therefore laying plans that will not only plan an event - but also plan it with a sense of purpose in what it is to accomplish.  Here is something which every believer should seriously consider. 

God has given us the few years we have on this earth as a gift - but also as a responsibility and a trust.  How we use these years are important.  Do we have a purpose behind the things we are doing?  Are they working for us an eternal destiny and an eternal reward - or are we just committing "chonicide" (just killing time).  Too many times our lives are just being lived with no real purpose or intention behind what we are doing.  That leads to a wasted life. 

Solomon is telling us that the plans laid with a sense of purpose and intention to live for God's glory and purposes - are beneficial to us.  But they are not just haphazard plans - these are plans that are set in place with "diligence."  This word means something sharp and industrious.  It refers to those people who are living industrious lives that are sharp in their focus and intent.  The root word for this referred to a sharp threshing sledge.  This was used to cut the harvest - and was sharpened to make the job easier and more effective.  One might complain of the time spend with a wetstone or file sharpening the metal.  This is hard work after all - and it takes time to sharpen something well.  But if you are having to cut entire fields of grain - you know that the few moments spent sharpening your tool can save hours of time and much additional effort.  So plans laid by someone who thinks through purpose and intent can make living life much easier and more focused. 

These kind of plans lead surely to advantage.  Here is one of the times when I prefer the King James translation to the NASB.  The word here means an abundance.  It refers to an abundance of profit, materials, harvest, or whatever the word refers to and modifies.  It can also mean advantage or a more favorable position - a superior one to someone who has not planned and thought through their actions.  When you plan - you will have abundance and advantage over those who have not thought these things through well.  Planning does not negate labor and faithful effort at a task.  But it does halp ensure that the labor and effort invested is leading to a desired end. 

This way of living is compared to someone who is hasty.  The hasty man is the one who prefers reacting to life - than planning it.  The problem is that reacting to our circumstances can have us being led, not by our purpose and intent, but rather by whatever happens.  Circumstances begin being our leader - rather than us seeking to control many of our circumstances by moving in a planned direction and way.  When you live this way, the result is poverty.  Just as the plans of the diligent man will surely lead to an abundance and advantage - the lack of planning and diligent effort doing something well - will eventually lead us to poverty. 

God wants us to live on purpose.  He does not want us to spend our lives just reacting to whatever happens.  We can do much to guide our lives according to His principles if we will just spend time learning them and directing our lives according to them.  We will find that God's Word gives us a path - gives us counsel on how to live and how to plan to do things that God desires.  This will ensure that we live a life God blesses - not just one that He tries to guide through whatever emergency happens next.  To do this - with diligence and purpose . . . is wisdom indeed.
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Take my instruction and not silver, And knowledge rather than choicest gold. 11 "For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her. Proverbs 8:10-11 (NASB)

How valuable is wisdom?  You can't find any valuation for it on the New York Stock Exchange or in a bank.  There is no mention of it in any of the mutual funds or among the currency exchange markets either.  So just how valuable is wisdom?  Well, according to what we read in Proverbs 8:10-11 wisdom is extremely valuable - worth far more than anyone in the financial world could imagine. 

First we learn that we should take a father's discipline and instruction rather than silver.  "Musar" is the Hebrew word used here and it means the instruction and discipline that comes through a father's oral instruction - but it can also mean the way this comes through the rod as well.  According to other places in Proverbs (i.e. 1:7, 8:33, 13:1, and 15:5) if we receive this we receive life and the favor of God.  When we reject our father's instruction and discipline, we receive death, poverty, and shame.  In many ways the Word of God says that the way we deal with our father's instruction and discipline will be mirrored in how we receive His in our lives.  Hmmm, a southern way of saying this might be, "Take your daddy's talkin's and whippin's rather than money."  Might sound kind of strange - but when I think of the value of a godly father's instruction - it is something that is invaluable.  When I consider how much I could have learned from my dad - and how much pain and problems could have been prevented in my life if I did - I see where this is worth more than silver.

The second statement her is to take knowledge rather than gold.  This is the Hebrew word "daath" which means a knowledge gained from learning, discernment, and insight.  The word speaks of a knowledge about how life works, as well as a knowledge of the divine.  A way to put this where you can really grasp it is that the knowledge God commends is knowing Him and therefore knowing how to life live to its fullest.  Now if we thought that a father's instruction and discipline was valuable - we will be blown away at the value of the knowledge God gives.  It is worth more than the choicest gold.  The gold described here is what is known as "fine gold" and it describes gold that is highly refined and extremely valuable.  To know God and thus to know how to live this life is so incredibly valuable.  Nothing is worth more to a human being because such wealth does not leave you when you die physically.  To know God and how to live will last for all eternity. 

Next we are told that wisdom is better than jewels.  The word used here usually refers to rubies and other highly valuable gems.  The word also indicates that these are not raw jewels, but ones that have been cut and adorned with gold and other items to make them highly valuable.  Imagine if you will the entire collection of England's crown jewels.  These are not as valuable as wisdom.  Wisdom again is simply seeing things the way that God sees them and thus knowing how to make decisions that please and honor Him.  To close out this proverb we finally read that "all desireable things cannot compare with her."  Take all the things of this world that men consider valuable.  Pile them all up into one glorious wealthy heap - and all these things together cannot compare to wisdom. 

This world puts great pride in what they consider valuable.  We even used to have a show were the lives of the rich and famous were put on display for all of us to covet.  The problem is that all those things are not as desireable as knowing God.  They don't add up to a life where we learn valuable and wise lessons from our earthly fathers - then follow their example by learning from God Himself the very things they have sought to teach us.  What is the value of wisdom?  It is of such a high value that they've not even invented charts that can accurately show the true value and the wealth that comes from it.  That can only be measured in the joy and thrill of a myriad of lifetimes spent in the presence of God Himself in heaven. 
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How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? 10 "A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest"— 11 Your poverty will come in like a vagabond And your need like an armed man. Proverbs 6:9-11

Everyone needs sleep to be able to function in life.  If you don't think this is true - try going without sleep for a few days.  But there is a problem that comes with too much sleep.  Too much sleep leads to laziness.  That is the problem that is pointed out in these 3 verses of Proverbs.

The question is put to the sluggard, "How long will you lie down?"  The writer of Proverbs asks when he is going to rise from sleeping.  Here is the problem - we have a man who is more interested in sleeping than in getting up and doing something.  There is not an illness involved here.  Neither is there a situation where someone has been up all night working or dealing with a child.  This is simply a man who does not want to get out of bed.  He doesn't want to do this because he is lazy. 

It is good to have a routine for yourself that includes a time when you are going to wake up in the morning.  For the vast majority of us who have jobs - this problem is solved by our employer, who expects us to show up for work each day when he dictates.  We have a choice to sleep in . . . it is just that this choice also involves not having a job, food, a place to live - you get what I'm saying.  Because of this fact of life - we wake up and get out of bed. 

If you want to rear a child well - you will also teach your child to get up and get out of bed as well.  For this reason it is good for your child to have a job - even if it is one that is around home.  I remember hearing a story about a farmer who taught his children to wake up and get working on the farm.  His sons were with him in the corn early one morning when a neighbor commented about this practice.  His comment was that he sure was working his boys hard to raise corn.  I love the comment the farmer gave in return.  He said, "Sir, I'm not raising corn - I'm raising sons." 

What a wonderful statement.  We teach our children to wake up and get going each day because we want to train them and teach them how to live in this world.  It would be far wiser for them to learn this lesson young and maintain it throughout life - than to learn it only because necessity demands it when they get a job.  When we leave it to necessity to educate them - they often learn the hard way.  They also resent having their laziness interrupted with something so harsh as . . . reality. 

Sleep is not the real problem here.  It is what comes with too much sleep.  There is sleep and slumber that is perfectly fine.  If we go to bed on time - we can get plenty of sleep every night.  Our problem usually is discerning between a regular night in life - and one that is special.  I know some will scoff at this - but it is also wise to teach children (and some adults as well) the difference between a school night - and a weekend or vacation night.  For big people reading this - that can also be said this way.  We need to discern the difference between a night when we have responsibilities the next day - and one where we do not. 

Our problem is that we not only sleep and slumber - but we also get the idea that we can fold our hands and not work.  When we decide that we don't have to be diligent - we don't have to be hard working - we don't have to be our best for work and our employer each day - we are making a big mistake.  The Scriptures teach us that God desires us to work hard - as if we are working for Him.  When it is time to work - God wants us to work.  This folding of the hands to rest is a picture of a man who values sleep and rest far more than he does hard work.  This may sound fine to most - but God made it clear to us from the Law that for six days we are to labor and do our work.  Work was not a part of the Fall of man into sin.  Work is something God had Adam do in the garden. 

When we don't work there will be troubles and problems for us in life.  First, we won't earn money with which to pay for food and other living items.  Second, if we have a job and don't work hard - we will eventually lose that job.  Finally, God calls us to work - and when we don't we often find ourselves doing things that we will regret later.  Too much free time - plays right into the hands of the devil.  I believe the old phrase is, "Idle hands are the devil's workshop."  No work and all sleep makes Johnny a sinful boy. 

When we don't work something is coming - and it would be wise if we were warned of what that is.  Poverty is coming if you don't wake up and work hard. 

The warning here from Solomon is that poverty is coming to us.  Two descriptions of how poverty is coming are given to us to warn us that this visitor is not welcome in our lives.  First, poverty is coming in like a "vagabond."  The word here means one who walks back and forth on a highway - and it referred to a highwayman.  These were people who walked about on the highways and roads who desired to rob those passing on the road.  They were thieves and robbers.  Thus what Solomon is saying here is that poverty is going to come upon you like a thief hiding near the road.  He will rise up suddenly and attack.  Usually this comes without a lot of warning.  That is the way it is for the sluggard who loves his sleep.  He thinks everything is fine - and then suddenly poverty hits him without him being ready for it. 

The second picture Solomon uses here to describe how poverty is coming is that of an "armed man."  What is fascinating about this word is that it actually refers to a man with a shield, and the same word is used of the protective scales of a crocodile.  Most commentators figure that this refers to an armed man with shield and with a sword.  This one comes upon you for the purpose of taking what you have.  I take a different tack on this word.  I think it refers to how hard it is to get out of poverty - especially a poverty caused by laziness, lack of discipline, and being a sluggard.  You can try to fight a man with a shield - but it is difficult.  He is going to be able to ward off all your attempts to harm him.  He will prevail more than once - so you have to be wise and fight hard to vanquish him.  When a man is lazy and in poverty - he is hit with the proverbial double-whammy.  He not only is poor, he is poor and unwilling to work hard to get out of poverty.  All of the stories I've heard about those overcoming poverty had to do with those who worked hard to do so.  I can't ever remember one where the man or woman slept in every day and barely worked when they did apply themselves. 

Laziness is a difficult thing to overcome.  Someone who loves their sleep does not train easily.  They want to relax and NOT work.  Thus they face a very daunting future.  They don't want to work - but they do want to eat.  They don't want to apply themselves - but they do want the stuff that comes from applying yourself.  Unfortunately, our government often gives no incentive to get out of this state as they offer welfare programs and far more incentive NOT to work than TO work.  Welfare to those who are just lazy is not a help - it hurts them and society as well.  Those truly in need can and should be helped by society - but we've gone well beyond that in our nation.  We've subsidized far too much laziness and lack of discipline.  That is why our growing socialism, and the laziness it encourages by punishing the successful and rewarding those who stick their hand out to the government, is going to receive a visit from these verses one day.  One day even nations will be visited by the highwayman and the man with the shield.  Unless we encourage work - hard work - and things like industry and frugality and discipline - we will continue to destroy the work ethic in our country.  When that work is completed, we will have put the finishing touches on a sleep-loving, work-hating society.  Oh, may God give us wisdom to wake up, work hard, make wise financial choices, and honor Him in it all.  May He have mercy on our country and help us to see that laziness, self-indulgence, and the thought that our government owes us a living are not helping us - these things are destroying us. 
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My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord, or loathe His reproof.  For whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.  Proverbs 3:11-12

One of the surest signs that you are maturing in the Lord and gaining wisdom is by seeing how you are resounding to discipline and correction in your life.  Correction is  something no one takes easily.  First of all it requires that we admit that we are wrong.  This requires humility.  This is a character trait that is not abounding in our lives since the fall.  This is why we are told here not to reject the discipline of God.  We are told this because we are likely to just reject discipline automatically.   One of the most important lessons I ever received from the man who disciples me was that I needed to consider it kindness when a godly man rebuked me.  He taught me to take a moment and consider what was said to me rather than just rejecting it out of hand.  Some of the best lessons I've ever learned were due to the rebuke of a godly person who loved me enough to speak the truth to me when I needed it most. 

We are also told here not to loathe God's reproof.  The only reason I loathe reproof is because of the pride in my heart that makes me think I am always right.  You would think I would be delighted for God, Who cannot err, to correct me and keep me from making mistakes that could harm me.  Unfortunately I annuli fled with pride and foolishness to listen to Him and actually choose being wrong rather than admitting to my error and learning from Him.

Solomon has the wisdom here to appeal to his son from a human standpoint.   He tells his own son that God reproves and disciplines those He loves.  ThenLord doesn't discipline us out of some power trip.  He does this because He loves us.  Remember that the next time you are being disciplined.  God is working this way in your life because He loves you.  This verse it quoted in Hebrews 12 and we are informed that God is disciplining us because He wants us to share in His holiness.  God is incapable of acting wrongly and therefore we need to see that even His discipline is for our ultimate good.    

The final words that Solomon offers to his son are supposed to remind him that earthly fathers discipline thir sons because they delight in them.  A father looks at his son and sees the potential of what he catn be.  As he disciplines the child, it is only in hope of what his child can become if  he ultimately follows the Lord with all of His heart.  The father takes delight in his son or daughter as he or she walks with the Lord.  Disciplne and correction is the way of life itself.  If we learn how to receive it from God and from those He sends to us we will be blessed greatly. So learn to receive discipline and correction, especially from God.  He loves you and only is working toward your best interests when He does.
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Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed. Proverbs 27:5

Indulgence of a problem that needs to be addressed is something that is not the mark of a true friend - or someone who truly loves you.  Love by its very nature is always mindful of what is best for the one it loves.  Thus true love for another will at times take on the task of open rebuke, rather than hiding ones faults from them. 

God tells us that open rebuke is necessary.  When David was in his sin with Bathsheba, Nathan was sent to him with an open rebuke - a correction that he needed.  To leave David without such a confrontation would have been very harmful to his future.  There are times when someone is doing something dangerous that they must be confronted.  The world calls such things interventions, but things do not need to move into dangerous territory for a word of rebuke to be uttered.  Sometimes it is good for us to receive such a word - as it can turn us from a wrong path long before things get that difficult.  Such a word can bring difficulty if one does not receive the rebuke - but the other option really is not wise.  We read that this open rebuke is better than love that is concealed.

Too often love is concealed - at least the kind of love that will rebuke and correct.  Some dare to call such indulgence love - but when we leave someone in a situation where they continue to offend others (and more importantly they continue offending God) - that is NOT love.   When relationships between family, friends, and brothers and sisters in Christ lack mutual discipline and loving correction - their love is weak and ineffectual.  There is a forefearance that is nothing more than willing blindness.  Such actions leave us with a conscience that continues to be concerned - and too often - tongues that continue wagging behind the scenes about our brother's behavior.  Is is not better to pray through the much needed loving rebuke until it is offered? 

Just a word of caution here as I close today's thought.  Offer that loving rebuke - just make sure it is loving.  There are those who take a little too much pleasure in giving such rebuke.  Our rebuke, if done properly, should have been sandwiched on either side with deeply concerned prayer.  Prayer on the front end so that we will be received and will be wise and gracious in offering our rebuke.  Prayer on the back end of things is offered because we desire the work of the Holy Spirit in helping our loved one change and become more Christlike.  When done this way we cannot guarantee no offense - but oh how the numbers of offended ones drop.  If you have a loved one, a friend who needs a loving correction - take the time to "show" that you truly love them.  This is done as you pray and cry out to God for His work in this process - and you gently and humbly go to them.  You go desiring that they change - not to your liking - but in response to the call of God upon them to walk a holy, godly life.
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