The lizard you may grasp with the hands, Yet it is in kings' palaces. Proverbs 30:28

What is the exceeding wisdom that the lizard has for us?  We are told of four animals here - all who demonstrate wisdom by their existance and practics.  We come now to the fourth and final animal - the lizard.  What does he have to teach us?

First we read that the lizard is not the most intimidating of animals in the world.  He can be grasped with the hands.  His natural defenses are not very effective.  Thus he is able to be caught and grasped with a human hand.  The lizard is not given a great deal of weapons at his disposal.  The lizard spoken of here is usually the common ones that you seek on the walls in homes.  He has no sharp claws or teeth - and the ones mentioned here have no venomous bite or sting to deliver.  Yet we are told that he is in the palaces of the king.  

The lesson for us is an interesting one.  Though we may feel weak and defenseless, we can still be in high places.  The lizard teaches us though that if we are to be in such places, we will need to be humble and come in such a way as is fitting for our situation.  If the lizard were to come to the king's palace and seek to knock down the door - he would be a fool.  If he decided to battle his way into his presence with his great strength - he would be deluding himself.  If he decided he would come showing his comeliness and beauty - he would be blind to the fact that he is a lizard.  The lizard uses none of these tactics.  Instead he is humble and comes quietly.  He remains on the wall and chooses not to be boisterous and draw attention to himself.  Because this is how he comes - he can be in the presence of the king.

The lizard teaches us that great strength can be had in something as inauspicious as humility.  God says that He opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  There is something about a humble man that can disarm even a king.  Therefore if we want to be received and come even to a king's palace - we need to learn humility.  With the humble comes great favor.  Jesus told us that when we come to a banquet we should not seek the place of honor - and take a seat next to our host.  That would be coming in pride and arrogance - stating that we are viewed highly in our own mind.  The warning was that when our host comes, he would see us in such a proud position and completely overlook us.  When he would see someone far more humble taking a seat beneath himself - the host would invite him to sit where we are.  At that point we would be humiliated and have to go to the very last seat in the sight of all those present.  Instead we should adopt the attitude of the lizard.  Jesus said that we should take the lowest place at the table.  Then when our host sees us taking such a humble place, he would request for us a better seat - and we would be honored before all at the banquet.  This is where our Lord told us that God opposes the proud, but honors the humble. 

Exceedingly wise is the lizard, who embraces humility.  Wise indeed he is to come quietly and without fanfare.  Thus he is in king's palaces.  Wise also is the man who in life chooses to humble himself, not just to be exalted, but who truly sees himself humbly.  We are counselled to humble ourselves in the presence of the Lord, and he will exalt you (James 4:10).  So be wise - be like a lizard - humble yourself - and be blessed by the Lord.

Through insolence comes nothing but strife, But wisdom is with those who receive counsel. Proverbs 13:10

Today we are going to learn about the danger of the sin of presumption.  I know that this one rarely comes across our lives - or at least we rarely talk about it.  Can't really remember a time when anyone dealt with this in a teaching or a sermon.  But, since that is where we are in Proverbs - let's take a look today.

The Bible calls this sin "insolence," and we are warned that nothing comes through it except strife.  The word for insolence here is the Hebrew word "zadon" and it means presumptuousness or pride.  The idea here is that of a willful decision that has not consulted with God - or doing something without really knowing whether it is the will of God or not.  We presume that we can do something or say something and we have no real idea whether the Lord is in it or not.  But rather than back up and check - we push ahead.  Suddenly the sin of presumption seems much closer to our world and lifestyle than we first thought.  This was actually the original sin in the garden.  Eve presumed that it would be OK to partake of the fruit - even though it was clearly NOT the will of God for her to do so.  When she heard the arguments of the serpent, she presumed that the rules had changed. 

The sin of presumption comes in so many ways.  It comes when we decide that we really don't need to study and read God's Word.  Our ignorance of the Bible only radically furthers our presumption.  Some mistakenly lump presumption with initiative.  But initiative considers what someone wants - or what they need - and rather waiting to be asked to do something - takes the initiative to do what is right.  Presumption doesn't know what is right - doesn't ask - and goes ahead with the plan and action without finding out. 

Through presumption comes nothing but strife.  We first have strife with God because ultimately He is the One upon which we are presuming.  We just figure that He approves what we want to do - and we do it.  Later when we learn that it is sin - we justify ourselves and our actions claiming ignorance.  Our most ignoranct moment was going ahead with our plans before we ever knew His will.  Presumption draws upon pride for its strength.  Pride tells us that we know what is best for ourselves - and we ought to be able to do some things without asking.  We "presume" that we are free agents, able to do what we want without consequences.  Yet, the consequences come - and come hard in the end.  We also wind up with strife among people.  Take 5 selfish people and put them in an organization.  Each is prideful about their ability to lead - and each thinks their ideas are wonderful!  Let them loose without any kind of restraint upon them - especially any when it comes to seeking the face and heart of God.  Soon you will have more strife as they push forward with their "ideas" without any thought of their consequence (except the consequence of them being noticed, advanced, honored, etc.).  They presume that because they think it is a good idea - it ought to be done - and done now.  Oh, the battles, the strife, the infighting, and the grief that the sin of presumption causes.  You sometimes watch entire churches set aflame with anger, broken relationships, and pride as they splinter due to the sin of presumption. 

How do we keep presumption from creeping into our thinking and our lives?  The second half of this proverb tells us that the cure for presumption is to receive counsel.  But wisdom is with those who receive counsel.  First, we receive the counsel of God.  The Lord told Joshua at the beginning of his leadership over Israel, "This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night.  So that you may be careful to do all that is in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success."  There is the key - to know God's Word.  We receive counsel when we make sure that what we are doing is in accord with the Word of God.  We are wise when we make it a priority to seek His face and know His ways.  Then we make certain that what we are doing is what He wants.  No presumption - but careful seeking and careful ordering of our lives according to His direction for us.  The same is true when we take the time to ask for counsel from others BEFORE we launch out into an endeavor.  The Word tells us that in an abundance of counsellors there is victory!  How much better we do when we take the time to ask someone - and hone our ideas through the wisdom and eyes of others.  We are resuced from our own extremes - and learn to live to serve one another - even in how we push forward with what we are desiring to do.

Before we end today's proverb I would like to give one memorable Biblical example.  When Joshua led Israel, the people of Gibeon came to him and the leaders of Israel deceptively.  They wore worn out clothes and took crumbled provisions to make them think they were from a far country.  They were from Canaan - and were not to be a people with whom Israel entered into any covenant.  But Joshua and the leaders believed their eyes - and presumptuously decided to enter into a covenant with the Gibeonites.  The Scriptures tell us that, "they did not seek the counsel of God."  The end was a horrible decision - one that would cost them dearly.  It happened all because they presumed to know what to do - and decided that they did not need to ask God about it.  Oh the grief that would be spared if we would seek to destroy this sin of presuming upon God.  The strife that would be avoided if we would only make it a lifelong practice to turn to Him and ask Him what should be done.  Make it a point today to turn to the Lord - make it a point to turn to Him in every situation to ask His heart and His will.  Learn from Joshua - that we need to meditate day and night upon the Word of God - so that we will do the will of God and prosper.  That is how we can begin to see this little known - but often practiced sin removed from our lives.