In a multitude of people is a king's glory, But in the dearth of people is a prince's ruin.   Proverbs 14:28

A king is not a king unless he has a kingdom over which to rule. A kingdom will not exist where the people are not fruitful and multiply. Therefore it is wise for kings to encourage their people to grow in number. Today's proverb handles this situation - but the implications of this proverb are fascinating, especially when applied to what is happening in both the United States and Europe.

The simple meaning of this proverb is obvious - a king needs people to have his kingdom flourish. When there is a multitude of people under his rule - he is blessed, but when there is a declining population within the kingdom - it points to the ruin of his son. The son will have a far smaller kingdom over which to rule - or possibly none at all.

As I stated at the beginning of this post, this has amazing ramifications for both our nation and the nations of Europe. Both places have declining populations when it comes to the original population of the countries. As a result of this both of these regions are trying their best to maintain population growth by immigration. The problem is that as the numbers of immigrants grow, they are having more and more influence in the policies and direction of the nation. Give this direction a few more years - and soon Europe will be different - completely different than their forefathers. The United States is not that far from this development either. Why is this happening to these once great nations?

For a king to continue to rule over his own people, he has to encourge his own people to multiply in their families. If they do not, the indigenous people of the land will begin to dwindle in numbers. The result of this will be that a different group of people will begin to rise up and rule the land. All this happens because the people do not have children. Or, in our case, they only want 2.4 children or less. That is what has happened in our nation. We have become a people who do not believe that having multiple children is a blessing. This all began with people espousing a worldview that did not value children. We became a people so interested in our own comforot and our own pleasure that we decidd that children were no longer a blessing of the Lord. We came to the conclusion that the man whose quiver if full of children is not blessed at all. In fact, we decided children were a burden - an unnecessary burden - and within a couple of generations - an unwanted burden.

According to the humanistic worldview - this was a wonderful development. We were supposedly choking the world to death with our overpopulation - our poluting - and our urban sprawl. So when people bought this unbiblical view, they stopped having childen, or they did what was necessary to reduce the number of children they have. Everything seemed wonderful and the planet would be saved. But over time, the dearth of children began to weigh heavy on our society. Now we face problems as our system is imploding. It is doing so because we no longer have far more families coming up, because we do not like or enjoy the thought of having multiple children. Programs like Social Security require a larger generation of younger people than in the older generation. Even our national character - is shifting from being European and western to being either Mexican or Islamic.

A wise set of leaders would have had a biblical worldview. That worldview remembers that God said to be fruitful and multiply. The whole concept of overpopulation is foreign to God. He promises to supply our needs if we will live for His glory and obey His Word. But since those things have been jettisoned just as we have done with His view of children and family - we are facing the "dearth of a people."

An interesting thing about this passage is that it says that the prince is ruined by this. The king is to rule not just with an eye toward himself - but toward his sons - and his grandsons. That is a fascinating thing to see here. It is fascinating because one of the curses of our current political fabric is that we only see the immediate future as important. Most of our elected officials actually only see the next election cycle as important - therefore they plan only to keep people fat and happy til past the next election. All the while as we are doing this - the princes of our future (our children) are having their future ruined by the selfishness of the current generation.

Wisdom means that rulers think ahead - they think long-term - and honestly, they should think biblically. To do otherwise is to think in a way that God will not bless. This, more than the economy or any other factor, is what will bring about the blessing or the dearth of our society and its people. We should always remember the verse, "Blessed are the people who are so situated. Blessed is the nation who's God is the Lord."

He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.   Proverbs 13:24

Child discipline is an issue today that is quickly being taken over by worldly psychologists and child-advocates who think that spanking a child or administering any kind of coporal punishment is child abuse.  Yet from what we see in Proverbs today, child abuse should be defined a little differently.  It should be defined as those who refuse to apply the rod of discipline to their children in a loving way so as to train them to be unselfish.

The rod is mentioned here - and is it mentioned because the parent is supposed to apply the rod to the child's rear-end in a controlled way for the purpose of training that child properly.  This is to be done without a fit of anger or rage - for disciplining under that kind of spirit will often lead to over-disciplining a child - or hitting them out of anger - rather than out of a desire to train and teach.  The wise man and woman discipline their child - because to refrain from discipline is to hate your child.  These are strong words - and need to be examined.

When we refuse to discipline a child - we are leaving them to the dictates of their sinful nature.  Contrary to the world-view of modern psychology, the Bible does not teach that man is basically good.  The Bible teaches that we are evil because of man's fall into sin.  Because of that event - and the effect it had on all mankind - we are basically selfish and self-centered.  Left on our own, we will become little monsters who demand our own way.  There is also another problem with the sinful nature and the way it works in our hearts.  The natural man does not submit himself to rules or authority very well.  A child will learn to say, "No" early in life, and needs to be trained to submit to authority and to rules.  Our sinfulness has us react to rules by wanting to buck them and do our own thing.  This needs to be an area of child training.  We need to teach our children to obey - and to submit to the authority that is over them.  Without this they will not function well in society.  When a child learns to be obedient, learns to be respectful, learns to work hard and be selfless in his attitude and actions it is a blessing to all those around him.  Consider what an entire society would look like with this kind of parenting? 

The Bible says that we need to discipline our children "diligently."  I will be honest with you - that this is difficult to do.  At times I would only discipline my children when they annoyed me enough to merit my all-important time and effort.  Hope you got the sarcasm in that statement.  Disciplining your children diligently requires a full commitment to seeing character and godliness developed in them.  You cannot just discipline them when you get mad because they are making your life difficult.  Discipline requires a full commitment of your life. 

This may seem like a lot, but let me give another testimony about this kind of child-rearing.  We have 6 children - 2 guys and 4 girls.  We are not model parents by any stretch of the word.  God has given us much grace as we stumbled and tried our best in this whole thing called parenting.  But one thing we have noticed is that when you give yourself to parenting after this model - you truly enjoy being with your children throughout your life.  We love being with our kids - and have the best time when we are.  They are a delight to our hearts.  I remember sharing with someone in a grocery store that we have 6 children.  Her response was whether we were still sane - and how much Prozac we needed to handle that many kids.  I smiled when she said this, but quickly stated that our kids were a delight - and that God gave us much grace and that is what helped us rear 6 kids.  That is the joy of living this way and rearing your children.  It is a blessing not only to your children as they mature - but it is a blessing to you and your wife as well.  The truth is that God is maturing not just your kids - He is maturing you as well.

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.   Proverbs 13:22

What kind of inheritance are you leaving to your children?  What kind of inheritance are you leaving to your grandchildren?  That is what today's proverb wants us to consider.  There is a blessing that we should pass to our families.  From what we read in Scripture there is one that we can pass to several generations if we choose to live as God would have us to live.  Let us take a look at this today.

The good man leaves an inheritance to both his children and his grandchildren.  He approaches his earnings in life in such a way as to use them frugally and save for the future.  This is how he provides an inheritance for his family.  Note that he is called a "good" man - which refers to his character.  In order to be such a man one needs to be selfless and desire to bless his children - rather than to spend it all on himself. 

One thing we need to remember is that God does not promise riches in wealth to all men in equal amounts.  Therefore to say that this refers only to money is foolish.  Solomon laments of the man who had worked himself to death to obtain money, only to leave it to a son who is a fool.  This man may have left wealth to his son, but he forgot to leave him spiritual wealth and wisdom.  Therefore the money he has earned and saved will only be wasted by a son who is a complete moron when it comes to how to live. 

We need to leave our children an inheritance of godliness and wisdom as well as one that we can financially.  Without this our children will suffer far worse than if they miss a few luxuries according to the dictates of society.  There are those who will have wealth, but may spend eterntiy in abject poverty in hell when they die.  This is no inheritance that you want to pass on to your family.  If we leave them with wisdom and with knowledge of the Word and of their Savior Jesus Christ - they will be rich for eternity - even if they don't live on the upper east side in this life. 

The wicked will leave their wealth to the righteous.  This means that although they live wealthy for the few years of this life, they will eventually die and leave all of it to others.  Since they have lived for wickedness, their children will most likely waste their wealth and have it transfer to those who use wise principles in how they do business.  These are those who are godly and good in their business as well as their daily lives. 

There is something that we desperately need to leave to our children and their children.  It is a good thing if we can leave them an inheritance that will help them afford a home or other things financially.  But more importantly is to leave them with an inheritance in the things of the Lord.  This is something that can never be lost.  God promised that a godly man can touch thousands over the lives of his children and grandchildren.  But to do so we need to be willing to invest, not just in stocks and bonds - but in a godly heritage that will take a lifetime to develop and prepare for our families. 

He who troubles his own house will inherit wind, And the foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.   Proverbs 11:29

There is a foolishness that harms our homes.  It is not a foolishness though from outside of our homes - it is one that is perpetrated within them.  We are warned in today's proverb about a person who troubles his own house.  We are warned against such behavior because we will not be blessed in the end.

What does it mean to "trouble" ones own house?  The word here means to trouble, to stir up, to disturb, or to bring calamity.  Someone can trouble their own home by being a constant source of fighting and conflict within it.  When there is a member of a household that constantly fights with the others - the home is troubled and continually disturbed.  But other things can trouble a home.  Anyone guilty of disboedience to God, rebellion, selfishness, carelessness, covetousness, or cruelty - will bring serious problems to their family.  It is well known that a home can be a harmonious place to live - or a torturous one.  Those who act in this way will inherit wind in the end.  This is a picture of nothingness - of an empty inheritance at the end of life.

One biblical example of this is the home of Issac and Rebekkah.  These two had ways that they troubled their own home.  They both had their favorites which eventually led to a home divided.  Rebekkah eventually allowed her feelings for Jacob to bring her to a point where she involved him in a plot to deceive her husband.  Jacob complied and wound up with the blessing - but later had to flee the home because his older brother harbored thoughts of killing him.  This led to Jacob leaving the home to find a wife.  Rebekkah did not know that this would not be a short trip - and never saw her son again.  She troubled her home with her plot, and inherited the wind in never seeing her son again. Jacob's deceit came back on his own head when he went to work for Laban - who deceived him multiple times. 

The second half of this proverb also warns that the foolish will be servant to the wisehearted.  The fool will continue to walk according to his folly - and will waste his wealth and his opportunities to lead effectively.  As a result someone who is wise in heart will eventually be the one in charge.  The fool will then have to take his place as a servant.  Saul and David are an example of this proverb.  Saul began his life well - serving the Lord and being His instrument of deliverance for Israel.  But soon Saul began to do foolish things.  In time Saul and his family wound up being servants to David, who was wise in his choices and way of living.  How this warns us against living for ourselves and our own desires, rather than living as a servant to others - a love slave to God - and finding His favor blessing us in every area of life. 

A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17

One of the greatest blessings that you can have in life is to have both family and friends that are there for you.  This proverb reminds us of those things.  A good friend is a friend who loves you at all times.  The reason this may be said is because we all are aware of the dreaded "fair weather" friend.  This is the friend who is your friend when all is going well.  These kind of friends are a dime a dozen - and even cheaper if you have something they want at the time.  But how they scatter when things go wrong - or you need them for something in a difficult time of your life.  The true friend loves "at all times."    Just a note for us though on this matter of good friends.  As my mother always told me, "If you want to have a good friend, be a good friend."  Before we get too out-rospective bout our friends - we might want to be a little introspective on what kind of friend we've been lately.

The second half of this proverb reminds us though that a brother is born for adversity.  Family is often there when everyone else leaves.  When a troublesome situation arises - one in which all your friends can't be there - your family can - or at least should be.  As a pastor I've watched this again and again.  An illness or injury comes and families rise to their best in taking care of the one who has had the difficulties.  A wife or child sits by a bedside through thick and thin - loving and caring for someone who is in the process of dying.  To have such a family is a blessing beyond imagination.  One of the things that I fear with a society that is gradually tossing the elderly, is that we will consider our older parents something disposable - something that just costs to much to care for - so "death with respect" is pandered as the answer.  So much character and family healing has happened in these times that we will find ourselves infinitely poorer if we think that it is better to assist in our parents deaths - rather than lovingly care for them. 

If you have family and friends who love and stand with you at all times - you are truly blessed.  If you were not blessed with such friends and family - be such a friend and family member.  You may not get all the benefits - but you may start a different trend among those you love.  A trend that could bless among them for generations!

Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established.  Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil. Proverbs 4:26-27

Watch means to weight out or to ponder.  The idea here is that someone is pondering evil and then choosing to avoid it.  It means to seriously think about the path your feet are going to take - and choose to take them in a direction pleasing to the Lord.  Sometimes we don't think enough about the path of our feet.  We just act and go along with our lives.  We don't take the time to think about where we're going - what we're doing - and where it is going to lead when things reach a conclusion. 

We are told that if we will do this we will have all our ways established.  Ways is "derek" which again is the Hebrew word that refers to our lifestyle - the way we're going in life.  To have that way or that lifestyle established means to have it firm and fixed.  It means our lifestyle is one that is upright and good.  We will have a life that matters and just as important - one that will be steadfast in what pleases and honors the Lord.  There is also a sense in which we are being told our lives will last - whereas the worldling and the wicked man will only be temporary. 

When we look at the way of our feet, we need to know not to turn to the right or the left.  This is assuming that our feet are on God's paths and ways and not our own.  When we turn to the right or the left, we are choosing to depart from God's paths and walk in our own, the world's ways, or those of the devil.  Which ever of these three are true, we will find ourselves in a way that is wrong - and ultimately a way that will hurt and cost us. 

The only turn we should make in life is one away from evil.  The word "turn" here is a Hebrew word that means to go away from something, to desert it, to quit, to keep far away.  When we see evil we need to remove ourselves from it - depart - honesly - RUN!  To hang around evil is to court its greater influence in our lives.  When we see evil we should hide ourselves from it.  The longer we remain in the presence of evil, the more likely we are to participate in it.  Thus the wise man runs from evil.

Think about where you're going.  It is important to do this - to consider our lives and examine them from time to time.  It is too easy to begin to wander from the ways of God - too easy to take a path that leads us away from the Lord.  That is why this Proverb helps us so much - it encourages us to think through where our journey reaches its destination.  We think about the end of things.  When we do this - we will see the wisdom of turning away from evil and keeping clear of the wicked one and his ways.  

Let your eyes look directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Proverbs 4:25

Godly fathers warn their sons about distractions.  It was a distraction that led to the fall of mankind.  It was when Satan got the man and the woman to look at the one thing they probably should not have set in their sights that they were distracted enough to make the mistake of not just look at it - but partake of the forbidden fruit.  In much the same way, our sons are being constantly given things to look at that are not wise for them to put in the path of their vision.  What we look at long enough - will so fill our vision that we want to partake of it.  That can get our sons in all kinds of trouble.

Dad speaks frankly with his sons, telling them to have their eyes look directly in front of them.  He says this again with greater intensity telling the boys to let their gaze be fixed straight in front of them.  This is important for sons because they are going to face a tremendous amount of visual stimulation from the world.  We are warned against a worldliness where we live for the lust of our eyes.  This warning should remind us as fathers that what our eyes see can stimulate very strong desires that cry out for fulfillment.

David had a vision of a beautiful woman bathing in front of his eyes one evening in Jerusalem.  He could have looked away, but rather than do this, David fixed his gaze upon Bathsheba.  Soon, looking was not enough for David - he had to have more.  That look led to a horrible set of problems, beginning with adultery, and ending with a devastating set of consequences for his entire family - indeed, for all of Israel. 

Oh, how we need to use such things to warn our sons against the sins of the eyes.  How we need to warn them to keep their vision fixed straight in front of them.  They need to have a vision that dominates their lives - and it needs to be one where they focus on Christ.  Paul told us that when we gaze at Him with unveiled faces that we will be transformed into the very image that is set before our eyes.  May we be diligent in encouraging our sons to have that vision be the Lord Jesus Christ!

Put away from you a deceitful mouth And put devious speech far from you.
Proverbs 4:24

Any godly father who understands spiritual things knows that when urging his sons to have godly hearts, he must also address in almost the same breath how they use their mouths.  Jesus taught us the truth that it is out of the mouth that we know the condition of the heart of a man.  He told us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  Therefore when we take the time to examine the things that are coming out of our mouths, we will be able to better know what is lodging in our hearts.

The father frankly speaks to his sons about the need to put away a deceitful mouth and devious speech.  The first term here about a deceitful mouth has to do with perversion and deceitfulness.  It is a Hebrew term used to describe a person who speaks without any integrity in God's eyes.  He would rather speak deceptive things than the truth, immoral things rather than moral.  Scripture speaks of such a man as an evil, worthless man in Proverbs 6:12. 

Our society is growing more and more coarse all the time.  We know and see this through the language that we hear in the public square - and from the entertainment industry.  I may sound old fashioned, but I remember speaking with my mouth about how an entire theater gasped in horror when Frank Butler cursed at the end of "Gone With the Wind."  It was a ground breaking moment, but unfortunately was a harbinger of things to come.  Now, what that one actor said is common fare during prime time TV and is considered nothing to us today.  The language that is spewed at all hours of the day should shock us, but unfortunately we just yawn at the spiritual depravity of our day and move on with life.

The only way back to a godly, moral society is to rear a generation of sons who no longer consider such things commonplace.  Unfortunately for us, one of the problems is the current attitude of the church. 
We have moved from a cursing society to a cursing church.  The rave of the day among some of our youth is the rise of conservative, evangelical preachers who litter their sermons with language that at one time made the world gasp in theaters.  This development, while seeming to be really cool to some of our youth - will only result in a continued increase in those whose mouth is revealing a heart filled with perversion.  Some may balk at this assessment, but when we see that the godly father commands his son to put such a mouth away - can this be too far off from the truth?

The second command of the father is for the son to put "devious" speech far from him.  "Luz" is the Hebrew word used here and it means to be crooked or perverse.  The idea here is to deviate from God.  When our speech deviates from God's standards and God's ways - and in all honesty, from God's Word, we are headed in a very dangerous pathway.  Knowing that some will read this wondering just what good, godly speech is - and what words that we should avoid - I want to comment very pointedly about such things. 

Our current crop of curse words are focused on some very interesting things.  A couple of curse words deal with defacation.  When we read in the Old Testament that God required Israel to take a shovel and cover up their waste - it only goes without saying that speech that uses such words on a regular basis probably ought to be buried as well.  The other more common curse words seem to center around a crass way of speaking about the reproductive process.  Once again it is fascinating that God's commentary about this is that the marriage bed is holy and that sexual relations between a man and woman should remain in their own bed - and not in the common conversation of society.  Some will scoff at such statements - but I would argue with them as to what kind of biblical admonition encourages such speech?  Paul writes to the Ephesians, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification."  Wholesome words are those words that are not rotten - and since God does not encourage worldliness, but greatly discourages it in 1 John 2:15-17 - we might also do well in discouraging speech that far more resembles the world than resembles the Word. 

Fathers, we need to encourage a new generation of young men who speak so as to please God in all that they say.  Their hearts need to glorify God with what dwells in them - and their mouths need to reveal the godliness of their lives by speaking those words that are good for edification according to the need of the moment for those who are listening.  It would bless our society to see men who once again value a common-speak that does not offend or shock - but that blesses and encourages. 

Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23

The heart is the key to walking with God.  When the heart is changed and sanctified, the life will be godly and will be pleasing to the Lord.  But when a man's heart is not guarded and kept for the Lord, there will be problems.  This is why the father who is speaking frankly with his sons, will urge them to do all that is necessary to watch over their hearts.

The word "watch" used here is the Hebrew word, "natsar" and it means to watch over something, to guard and to keep it.  This word was used to describe how a person is to maintain something that is entrusted to them.  Whether we truly realize it or not, God has given us our hearts.  He has given us life and a direction in which it should be going.  Once this wonderful gift of salvation and a new heart is ours by God's grace - it is our duty to protect it - and to make sure that we watch over what God has done in our lives.  This "watching" is to be done with all diligence.  The word used here is "mismar" and it means to have someone put into custody, to guard them.  It speaks of things that are in a condition of being watched and controlled.  What a fascinating word to use here.  We are to watch our hearts and do so with a diligence that would be reminiscent of a prison - or the watch of a military unit at night.  This is no casual affair, but is something that is of the utmost seriousness.  God is absolutely serious about what we are doing with our hearts. 

The reason for this "due diligence" over our hearts is because our hearts are vital to our spiritual lives.  The father tells his son that from his heart flow the very springs of life itself.  A literal way of translating this passage is to say, "from out of it are the issues of life."  William Harvey, in the seventeeth century, discovered the circulation of blood in the human body.  This one discovery absolutely revolutionized science and medicine.  Over 2500 years before Harvey, the writer of Proverbs, inspired by the Holy Spirit, accurately spoke of how the heart was the very location where springs of life flowed out into the rest of the body.  The heart pumping the blood of the body through the arteries - is the very wellspring of life for the entire body.  If we watch out for the health of our heart - we are doing what must be done for a healthy body.  Kill the heart - and the body will die.  In a similar way, the heart is the seat of our spiritual life.  Keep our hearts and we will maintain a life of holiness and godliness.  Let our hearts go and we will find that the life of God will no longer flow freely through us and in us. 

The godly father impresses such things on his son.  He makes frank statements to his boys about the need to maintain a vital spiritual life where a heart for God is not just maintained, but is encouraged to flourish.  The father who takes this job seriously will be the father who rears sons to be men of God.  Dad, are you challenging your sons to maintain hearts for God and the things of God?  

For they are life to those who find them And health to all their body.   Proverbs 4:22

The wise father will place before his sons that fact that living according to God's ways and commands is the very best way to live.  Living this way is how to experience, "Life and life abundantly" as Jesus said in John 10:10.  He will also let them know that God's ways are also the most healthy way to live for their physical bodies as well.  This should be almost a "no-brainer" when we grasp that God, Who is omniscient and all-wise, would of course know the very best way for us to conduct ourselves for the most healthy and meaningful life the few years we have on this planet.

The father begins by frankly telling his son that the ways of God are life to those who find them.  Jesus warned us in John that the thief, who is the devil, comes to kill, steal, and destroy.  We should take note that also in 1 John we read that the world lies in the power of the evil one.  Therefore it should be no surprise to us that the world and its ways are destructive to our health and well-being.  To follow the world is to ultimately harm ourselves.  God made the world around us to function in a certain way.  To follow Him is to follow the designer and creator of all that we see and know.  When God gave His Law to Israel He said something very powerful in Deuteronomy 30,

"See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, and death and adversity;in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, that you may live and multiply . . . I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days . . ."  (Deuteronomy 30:15-16,19-20) 

God made it clear to His people that His ways were best - actually they were penultimate over all other ways of living.  To love, serve, and obey Him would bring them great blessing and life.  Again, He tells Israel this in Deuteronomy 32:46-47 when He says, "Take to your heart all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law.  For it is not an idle word for you; indeed it is your life."

The God who gave these very frank statements to Israel - also commanded the fathers of that nation to impress those same words upon the hearts of their sons.  So all we are reading here in Proverbs is a restatement of what God has commanded previously.

The father also seeks to say to his son that obeying the Lord's commands is also "health" to the body.  Here is where things get fascinating.  I attended Auburn University for my undergraduate work.  While there I knew a couple of brothers in Christ who endeavored to study the Scriptures and test the Old Testament dietary laws to see why God gave them.  Later I also read extensive articles out of a ministry in Chicago where doctors began treating patients based upon God's dietary and cleanliness laws.  Both groups adamantly stated to me that what God gave in the Old Testament is the most astounding public health system known to mankind.  If these commands were followed, it would lead to a marvelously healthy society.  When the Jewish slums followed these laws in Europe - the beubonic plague did not affect their populations.  Another way to say this is - the commandments of God are health to our bodies.

Dads, we need to speak frankly to our sons concerning life - and what enhances and offers life to them.  The world will not tell them such things, in fact, the world will tell them the opposite.  We are the ones God has designed to speak such things to them.  Actually, we are commanded to do so.  Blessed is the son who has a wise father who will speak frankly with him about life - and life abundantly!