He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense. Proverbs 12:11
I find it interesting that one of the phrases that I hear often is, "Don't work too hard." There are some out there who do struggle with the problem of working all the time - but over the past 49 years of my life, I think my problem is not working too hard. My problem is that I get distracted and lazy - and don't attend to the things that really matter in my life - and in my work. The proverb today uses an agricultural setting to help us understand the value and the blessing of working hard. "He who tills his land will have plenty of bread." If a man works hard at plowing the ground and planting a crop - he will have plenty of grain to harvest and make into bread. God intended for us to work in life. We need to remember that work is not a part of the curse. God had Adam till and work in the garden before the fall. What the fall did was make it to where we would have to work harder. The ground, which formerly grew wonderfully without weeds, was now going to yield the crops we need by the sweat of our brow. It is going to require not just tilling and planting - but also weeding. This was an activity that was unnecessary prior to the fall. This being said, there is a promise here that if we work hard tilling and planting the land - we will have a harvest sufficient to provide plenty of bread for our family. There is something that is good about work. The more I am idle - the more my mind and my heart have time to think of things that will get me into trouble. The saying that an idle mind is the devil's workshop is for the most part true. That is why God wants us to work - and I truly believe He wants us to work hard. The second half of this proverb warns us that the one who pursues worthless things lacks sense. What this is warning against is the wandering mind, and the earthly lifestyle. This man is pursuing worthless things. Worthless is the word "reya" which means something that is empty, worthless, or vain. It indicates something that has nothing in it - it is utterly empty. The unwise man is pursuing emptiness. He is chasing after things that do not matter - and will not matter in eternity. This man, according to Solomon, lacks sense. He is as void in his thinking as he is in his pursuit of these empty pursuits. What he wants and chases after is not worth having. He will open what to him is his treasure chest one day and find that it is filled with things that are void of any value whatsoever. As Solomon says in Ecclesiastes - he has chased after vanity and wind. Here is where we need to consider Ecclesiastes to give us the proper perspective on things. Solomon was arguably one of the richest men to ever live on this planet. Yet at the end of his life, when he wrote Ecclesiastes, he said that all the riches and wealth and opulence was empty, meaningless - a chasing after the wind. He looked at all the money and things he had and came to the conclusion that they were all vain. He looked at all the women he had sexual relations with and concluded that his pursuit of pleasure was all vain. He looked at all the authority and position he had enjoyed - and came to the realization that it too was vain. It is not that these things were evil in and of themselves (unless Scripture forbade his actions). It was that when he pursued these things he was pursuing emptiness - trying to catch wind in his hands. There is also the ones in today's society (and every society) that pursue vain things in the entertainments and amusements of our day. We have millions of children and adults who pursue the high score or the next level on their video games like it was the most important thing in life. We not only have people overindulged in sports - but now have fantasy sports leagues where we follow the ones actually playing in a make believe world of a fantasy league. Some lose themselves in virtual worlds on the computer - others now lose themselves in virtual computer pursuits on their iTouch or smart phone. Regardless of how we are doing it - we are wasting our lives in pursuit of worthless things. On the day when we are ultimately judged for the "tilling and planting of our very lives" we may unfortunately find that these pursuits were the height of foolishness. We may come to grasp that we have lacked the bread of life and as a result have suffered from spiritual famine most of our lives. May God gives us wisdom to learn now that what matters is working hard for the things that matter. What will matter is how we have redeemed the time in providing for our families - loving our spouses and our children - and working in the eternal fields of God's kingdom. If we do, we will have plenty of bread - even the bread that lasts forever. If we do not, we will have the terrifying specter of learning that we have spent our lives chasing after wind.
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A righteous man has regard for the life of his animal, But even the compassion of the wicked is cruel. Proverbs 12:10
Finally, a proverb dealing with animal rights! Now we can blast all those who choose to wear fur as a covering for themselves! Oh, but wait a minute - God covered Adam and Eve with the skins of animals. Oh, snap - we've got another problem because John the Baptist wore a leather girdle - the hide of a cow. So, what exactly is God speaking about here when He advocates having regard for the life of his animal? A righteous man regards the life of his animal. He is concerned for it - and cares for it. Even though we cannot biblically justify the extreme of the animal rights movement - we can see that God is not pleased when we treat animals cruelly. Yet in the worship of God Himself - there were required sacrifices of animals. But there is a difference between rearing animals for the purpose of meat and clothing - and someone just being cruel to an animal while it is alive. God does not forbid us to eat meat. Many of the men He used greatly were shepherds. Their purpose and job was to work with livestock and raise it to be a food source for their family and for other families. So we can rule out the idea that God is against all killing of animals for the purpose of eating meat - and creating clothing. But, we cannot look at this passage and justify someone treating their animals with cruelty and indifference. Someone who would beat an animal just because they want to - or because they are angry - will not find justification for their actions from the Word of God. God desires for us to treat our livestock as well as our pets with the kind of compassion and kindness that is indicative of His own nature. When we become cruel and unkind to animals - that displeases God. What we read about the wicked though, is that even their compassion is cruel. This is an interesting oxymoron. Compassionless compassion is what we can expect from the wicked man. The wicked don't care about animals - and will whip them mercilessly. It is a sad thing to watch a wicked man abuse an animal. I remember when we were given a beautiful Labrador Retriever. We did not know the people who gave it to us - and were truly grateful for the dog. But soon after receiving him, we could tell that they were abusive toward the dog. Any time we would even approach him, he would cower and yelp - fearing that he was about to be hit. We loved him - and eventually he knew that we were not going to strike him. Still it broke my heart to think how cruel someone had to be to get a dog to respond like that. The true believer realizes that all creation belongs to God. Thus as we walk through this life we want to treat what is God's respectfully. That does not mean that we don't use nature as God intended (which means that hunting and fishing, and raising livestock is not evil). It does mean that we are not cruel and evil with it. Those kind of actions are reserved for those who are wicked, and who do not fear God. A man will be praised according to his insight, But one of perverse mind will be despised. Proverbs 12:8
Good godly Biblical-sense beats out common-sense every day. But what is interesting is that often common-sense, which we too often take for granted, comes from Biblical-sense. We read here that a man will be praised according to his insight. This word "insight" is a great Bible word. The word means to be intelligent and have good sense. But this is an intelligence that means more than just a mere book knowledge on a certain subject. It means an insight and understanding that is the gift of God. We obtain it as we seek God and seek to know God through the way He has revealed Himself through His Word - the Bible. This is why I stated at the beginning of today's post that common-sense actually arises out of Biblical-sense. Since studying Proverbs in depth I've noticed that the counsel that I offer to others has been radically affected. Rather than offer my own fallible insights and thoughts - I quote from Proverbs and Scripture as a source of counsel. By the way, this means it is no longer my counsel - but God's Word. A second "by the way" is in order too. A good counsellor is not always one with a degree or a certificate - but one with a good working knowledge of God's Word and how it speaks to every issue of life. Sorry for the digression, I'll get back to the point. People want that kind of counsel - and they say to me that I have great insight into their problems and situations. When this is said, I laugh and let them know that without the Scriptures I'm as dumb as a stump. Any profit they receive is because of God's grace and the way that "Biblical-sense" has affected my "common-sense." When a man is praised becuase of his insight - it is often due to the fact that He is studying and seeking to apply Scripture to life. My favorite people are my brothers and sisters who are in their 70's and 80's who have studied and sought to live out God's Word their entire adult lives. They are a treasure chest of wisdom and instruction, rebuke and correction, counsel and encouragement, knowledge and discernment. But there is another person out their offering their opinion and counsel. It is the one of "perverse mind." The word "perverse" here means to bend or to twist. It speaks of those who distort things and make them perverse and crooked. This one will be despised according to Proverbs. When we see where their counsel leads us we will hate their advice. The problem is that too often those of "perverse mind" are exalted in our culture. They are the ones who make movies and television shows that exalt sexual impurity. They tell us that a sexually immoral lifestyle is the bomb! We need to try it out and embrace the sexual revolution. What they don't tell us in their movie portrayals is the truth about sexually transmitted diseases, the truth about broken relationships and broken marriages. They speak of the pleasure without the payment - the joy without the judgment. When we finally learn where their perverse counsel has led us - we despise them for it and feel like we've been burned (because we have!). Don't seek out the counsel of the "perverse of mind." Be careful of the way you allow the culture and the world to color your thinking. We don't say it often enough in the church today, but the culture in which we live is a perverse and godless one. When we allow the print media and what is sent out over the airwaves to instruct us (and realize that they usually instruct us through what they call "entertainment") we are being taught by the perverse in mind and heart. Find those who have insight! Search out and locate those who have "Biblical-sense." Their counsel may hurt a little at first (especially if you've spent too much time among the perverse of mind) but in the end you will praise them for their insight and counsel. Don't be surprised though if they blush and defer all praise to the One Who gave us the revelation of Himself in the Bible. In the end, He is actually the One Who has all the wisdom and great insight. But that is because He is God! The wicked are overthrown and are no more, But the house of the righteous will stand. Proverbs 12:7
Men rise to power - reign for a period of time - are overthrown and within a generation are forgotten. Only the most infamous of leaders is remembered after being destroyed - but their memory is like rottenness - a reminder of a horrific man who chose a wicked way to live. They are remembered as a byword and a warning. Don't become like such men - whose wickedness chased them down and destroyed them. There is an interesting thing about this particular proverb. The wicked after being overthrown are no more. First, their reigns are so odious to the people that they feel the need to rise up and destroy them. Once they are destroyed no one wants to continue their ways. This is because their ways were wicked. The people want nothing more to do with them - thus they do all they can to forget them. They leave no enduring house or legacy. The only thing they leave is a cautionary tale of warning to those who would desire to be like them. The very principles upon which they built their lives ensured their demise. This is why wickedness will not stand or last forever. The wicked and all their kingdoms will end up in the lake of fire in the last day - suffering everlasting torment for their godless, evil empires. Their house will eternally be destroyed around them - and their testimony will only be that of agony and knashing of teeth as they suffer the worst of ignominies for their choice to live a wicked life in defiance of God and His principles and rule. The righteous though have a house that will stand. The very principles that they have chosen will last. That is because they are principles that flow from the heart of God Himself. That Word will stand forever - as well as what is built accordingly. As an example of this consider the house and lineage of David. He was a man after God's own heart. He chose to follow the Lord - and even his greatest mistake (his adultery with Bathsheba) was an example for generations in its cost as well as David's example of repentance as he turned from his sin. That house stands forever. His writings in Psalms that record his conviction and repentance stand. They bless every generation that reads them. More than any of that - God's promise to build Him an everlasting legacy also stands as Christ Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise. His house - founded upon Calvary's hill stands to this day - though kings, false prophets, and wicked men have tried to destroy it in every generation. May we remember such things as we seek to build our house - not a structure made of rock, wood, and nails - but a life and family grounded on the solid rock of God's Word. May we remember as we labor on that house day after day - week after week - and year after year - teaching and admonishing our children with all wisdom from God's Word. May we remember as we sink deep foundations dug with time on our knees. May we remember as we build not with wood, hay, and stubble - but with silver, gold, and costly jewels. May we remember that our labor in the Lord is not in vain - but is used by the Lord to build an enduring house - one founded upon a rock - and that rock is Christ! The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, But the mouth of the upright will deliver them. Proverbs 12:6
The person who said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," never read this proverb. We have before us here the full destructive power of someone's words - or at least the intent with which they speak them. But thankfully, we also have the truth that the words of a godly man are also powerful. Those described as "wicked" in this passage are those who are guilty. The word means someone in the wrong - who is guilty of an criminal offense. In the context of Scripture this word most often refers to one guilty of breaking God's Law - and thus one who has no desire to obey Him or submit to His ways. We read that the words of such a man "lie in wait for blood." A wicked and sinful man's words are harmful to others. It is so important to remember context here because just one verse earlier we were told that the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. They are filled with lies. The wicked seek to destroy people with their words. And their counsel will be harmful if followed, since it is driven by the fallen nature of man. For just a moment I want to equate the words of the wicked with some more modern things. It is one thing to see a wicked man whose words are like a scorching fire as they are spoken. But it is another to consider the words of the wicked in other forms. Ever consider the words of the wicked that are written down for a book or a script? Far too many do not consider reading and going to see the words of the wicked portrayed on a big screen. They are unaware of the worldview that is being portrayed for them. They are unaware of the danger of this medium and how it lulls us to sleep when we should be alert and awake. Here the words of the wicked do lie in wait for blood. They come upon people unawwares because they do not ever consider how the ungodly seek to influence us through their various mediums of communication. To be perfectly honest, these forms of getting their "words" out are more effective than just speaking because of how ignorant the church is to their real agenda. A movie maker trying to go to a church and tell the people to be sexually immoral would be escorted out of the building quickly, but when he puts those ideas into a romantic comedy starring two unmarried people, the saints pay to go see it. Either way he gets his message out - but how more effective it is when dressed in the garb of modern entertainment. A man or woman would never think of going to a random house to peek through their bedroom window at their sex life, yet they think nothing of watching a love scene through the window of the local movie theater. The second part of this proverb tells us that the mouth of the upright will deliver them. This could be taken one of two ways. First it can mean that the righteous man - by speaking godly words - by speaking the Word of God - is delivered from the designs of the wicked. It can also refer to others to whom the righteous man speaks. He declares God's Word, and by doing so delivers those who are too easily duped by the words of the wicked. This reminds us of how vital it is for us to "hear God's words" every day. I say this not to encourage us to try to hear God's audible voice - but to remember that He has given us the Word of God - which are His words. If we will take the time to get into the presence of the Lord each and every day - with the purpose of hearing God speak His Word to us as we read the Bible - we will find great deliverance through this. Note here that we read that this is the mouth of the "upright." This word is the Hebrew word "yashar" and it means to be straight, just, and right. It refers to an ethical standard - and that standard is found in God's Word. When we learn to speak the truth to ourselves and to others, we will also see that deliverance is provided as God works in us to remind us of the truth - to warn us of danger - and to call us to holiness of life. An interesting dichotomy is presented here for us. The wicked want our blood - God our deliverance. The godless have a plot against our lives by their decietful counsel and wicked words. The upright speak what will deliver us. May God give us wisdom to see these things for what they are - a warning to us to hear God's Word - not just once a week, but every day as we meet with the Lord. The thoughts of the righteous are just, But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. Proverbs 12:5
Why is it far more wise to deal with a righteous man than with someone whom the Bible would refer to as wicked? That is what is set before us today in Proverbs. The first thing we see here is that the very thoughts of the righteous are described for us. The word "thought" here is the Hebrew "machashabah" and it means a thought, a purpose, a device, or an intention. The word means the actions and deeds that spring from the thoughts that fill someone's mind. These thoughts that lead to actions are described as "just." These thoughts are governed by the justice and the right-ness of God. The righteous man has as his guide and as his governing principles the Word of God. As the Spirit of God uses the Word to guide him - the righteous man wants to do what is just in God's sight - and thus is most likely to do that which is truly just and right in any situation. That is why you definitely want to do business and to be in the counsel of a righteous man. He is not governed by his lusts and by wicked desires. Things like dishonesty and stealing are just wrong to him. Therefore you can trust him to do what is right at all times and in all situations. One of the psalms describes this man as one who will swear to his own hurt - and not change. This means that even when he sees later that he has made a business decision that is not in his best interests - he will be true to his word - even when that means being hurt by it. The counsels of the wicked on the other hand - are deceitful. You do not want to do business with a man the Bible describes as wicked - because of the issue of character. The counsels here are the advice and the counsel that this wicked man follows. They are consistent with his character, which by the way is seriously lacking. His counsels are deceitful. He may promise something, but in the end he will not deliver on it. He is out for his own good and does not even blink at lying to someone if he can gain from it. He is not trustworthy - and therefore any commitment and any decision he makes is not worth the paper it is printed upon. This is why you want to know the character of those with whom you do business. This is important because a man's word should be his bond - but often it is not. Let me close this particular proverb with a cry for godly Christian businessmen to rise up and make themselves known in our society. As a pastor, I deal with brothers who are businessmen. One thing that I have heard that grieves me deeply is how they talk of other Christian businessmen - and of born again Christians in general. They have made statements that they really don't like to deal with those who readily identify themselves as Christians. The reason they say this is because of the number of times they have been burned by so-called brothers in business deals. What a horrific commentary this is on the church! God's people SHOULD BE the best people to deal with in business matters. They should be the most honest - the most godly - the most righteous and trustworthy. What I hear though is that they are not. In fact what I hear consistently is that the one person you don't want to do business with is a Christian. I say this not to denigrate the church - but to chastise myself and all true born again Christians for not being the witness that they should be when it comes to how we do business. God calls us to be a witness for Him - not just in words - but in all that we do. It is the counsels of the wicked that are to be deceitful. The thoughts and ways of the righteous - they are to be just. May God gives us grace to reclaim the culture in the days ahead so that the name of Christ no longer has to bear the disgrace of ungodly believers. An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, But she who shames him is like rottenness in his bones. Proverbs 12:4
How would you describe an excellent wife? There is a loaded question if there ever was one - especially when a man is trying to answer that question. Men would answer this question any number of ways. Some would refer to an excellent wife solely by referring to her looks. By the way, this would be a very shallow answer - but one nevertheless. To the man wanting a trophy wife this would be his only consideration. Another man might want a good cook - still another a companion. This is why it is so difficult to answer this question. That is why a proverb like this one is valuable - because it helps us understand the proper way to answer this question biblically. This removes all selfishness and self-centeredness out of the equation - and turns us to God's answer for this question. It will also keep many of us men out of serious hot water when we answer this - and do so without thinking much (which is how we men too often answer things when it comes to the issue of women). The Bible speaks of an "excellent wife" here. What does that mean? The word is actually "chayil" in the Hebrew which when referring to women speaks of a woman with virtuous character. This was the word that was used to describe Ruth in Ruth 3:11. All the people of the city considered her an excellent and virtuous woman. She obtained this testimony because of her character and godliness. The Proverbs 31 woman is also referred to as a woman of excellence as well. Her character speaks well of her - not just in how she treats her husband and children - but also in how she is a hard working, godly woman, whose heart is set on doing well for her family. Their praise of her at the latter end of her days is well-deserved. The second thing we learn of this excellent wife is that she is the crown of her husband. The idea here is that her life and strength of character makes her husband personally proud - and brings him honor as others see her in the community. She adds dignity to his life - not shame. The second half of this proverb points to a shameful wife. We are told that the wife who shames her husband is like rottenness in his bones. Shame here means to act shamefully or to put someone to shame by their behavior. This shame comes from disgraceful conduct - and often this shame is related to sexual immorality and those who act without any wisdom. This shameful woman does not honor her husband or her Lord with her moral conduct - and in addition to this acts often without any kind of wisdom at all. These kind of actions make her like a rotting in her husband's bones. There is no stability given to him from her - and that which should hold him up, gives way into a crippling break of a bone. The excellent wife is the godly wife - the woman who first and foremost seeks to please and honor the Lord. She wants to bless her husband with her heart for God - but also desires to crown him rather than supplant him. As Proverbs 31 tells us, "She does him good all his days." Thus we see all the earthly and fleshly definitions of a good and godly wife fall to the wayside - only to be replaced with the biblical way of seeing a woman. If God has given to you such a wife - realize you have a rare jewel - a diamond and ruby of great value! Cherish her and praise her often for she will not usually be praised by our society. For those who read this - and are women - strive to be the woman God desires for you to be rahter than what the women's magazines promote. Reject the worldy woman who embraces feminism rather than femininity. Enjoy being a woman and enjoy your gender. It is God's gift to you - and a blessing you should cherish. Learn to see your role as God defines it in Scripture - because in the end, you will have to answer to Him on that day - not the NOW. A man will not be established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous will not be moved. Proverbs 12:3
This very proverb has a wonderful parallel in the New Testament in the sermon on the mount. The parable of the foundations deals with how the man who built his house on the sand, having no foundation except on sand, had his house fall. The man who rooted his house on the rock, Jesus Christ, stood against all the storms and winds that beat upon it. The man who seeks to be established on wickedness is kidding himself. He won't know any kind of firmness or rooting. The word here means to be firm or fixed, to be steadfast and deeply founded. The picture is of a house that has deep moorings into the ground and as a result is very stable and strong. There is no promise of this for the man who wants to dig his roots into wickedness. He won't know stability - he won't have strength that will last. When troubles and trials, storms and winds come upon his life - he will fall flat. "Shoresh" is the Hebrew word used to speak of the root of the righteous. It is a word that means a deeply rooted plant that goes far down into the ground. It refers in Scripture to things like the root and base of a mountain - the roots of large trees - and even the origins of someone or something, speaking of their roots. These are righteous roots though. This man roots himself in what is right. But where can we learn what is right in every circumstance? Jesus tells us that this is when we hear His words and do them. This is the place to find what is right - but more than that - to be rooted in what is right. We are promised that this kind of root won't be moved. Just as Jesus said, this house - this life - will have the winds come down - the rain come down - the storms rise against it and beat on it. But they will not prevail - and that house and life will not fall. In a time when the world around us seems to be shaking at its very roots - men are scouring their minds trying to think of something or find something that will give them stability - it is interesting that we know there is a root that cannot be moved. Oh, that men would turn to this root and find the stability for which they long. A good man will obtain favor from the LORD, But He will condemn a man who devises evil. Proverbs 12:2
Good and evil men . . . here we find ourselves with the biblical worldview running headlong into the worldview that sees morality as something that is relative. It is interesting to see that today we don't hear things often referred to as being good or evil. Yet that is exactly what the Scriptures speak of in today's proverb of the day. The good man is the man who is well-pleasing. There is a loaded statement if ever one was made. The question is asked - and rightfully so - pleasing to whom? Well, in this case, the well-pleasing man is the one who lives well pleasing to Jehovah. This is what is told to us in this proverb. This good man - the one who is well-pleasing - receives favor from God. Thus the one he is pleasing is God Himself. Look further into the Hebrew word "tobah" which is the word used for "good" here and you will see this clearly. The word means not just well-pleasing, but also fruitful, morally correct and proper. The idea is that good is in th eyes of God Himself - Who is the One determining the "rules" for good and evil. Ah, again we run into a wall in regard to worldview. Yes, God is the One who determines the rules - Who sets them - Who has given us His moral Law and calls us to obey and walk according to it. The man who seeks to walk according to this moral law is the one God refers to as the good man. The benefit for walking in this way is God's favor - which means pleasure, delight, acceptance. God offers to the good man His favor. Thus the good man knows that God takes pleasure in his ways - He delights in how He is living - and His lifestyle is one that God accepts. How men rebel against things like this. How can we be so arrogant as to say one lifestyle is superior to another? The world hates it when we say that a lifestyle is morally superior to others - and inversely - when a lifestyle is considered immoral. They want all lifestyles to be considered valid in their own way. What they don't understand is that in making that assertion they make it to where the only immoral lifestyle is the one that holds to any morals. In addition to this - they also place all moral judgments on shifting sands of public opinion. In effect they lower all moral choices to the level of no moral choice at all. Everything goes in their worldview - because the most immoral judgment at all is ever voicing a moral judgment. God lays the foundations for moral choices and moral judgments in this world. He does so because He is God - because He is creator - and because He is both true and just. Thus we read the second half of this proverb which says, "but He will condemn a man who devises evil." There it is again - a moral standard. God sets it - and when a man begins devising (thinking, considering, setting up) evil - God brings a moral judgment to the table. God condemns such behavior. How is evil defined? God is the One who defines it in His Word. Since He is just - He will set up what is just and good and all that does not agree with Him and what He says, is evil. Here is the crux of this proverb. The truth is that there is a moral standard in the world. God has set it. If there is no moral standard set by a being outside of this creation - then there is no moral standard. Worse that this - the actual working out of this lie is that there will be a standard - but it will be set up by men - and eventually enforced by unjust men who will have things their way. You wind up with a moral morass. Things WILL spin out of control. It is far better to have God set up what is right and wrong - and do so by a Word that He has given to reveal what that is in the world. God gives us His Law and His commandments. He does so without any respect of persons - and - in the end He alone will be the One before Whom we stand - and through Whom we will know whether we are called someone good or someone evil. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. Proverbs 12:1
I've grown up being taught that the word stupid is not a very nice word. It is one that my parents encouraged me to avoid. So when the living God refers to someone as "stupid" it is a verse that catches my attention. What is it that makes God call someone stupid? The stupid man is the one who hates to be reproved and corrected. He bristles when someone offers rebuke. He does not like it when someone corrects him when he is wrong. This is what makes him stupid, because by nature we are fallen - and by nature we are born ignorant. The only way to remedy this situation is for us to be corrected by God and corrected by others. Any discipline in life is to turn us from the wrong and toward the right. Those who love us discipline us, because they know that such discipline directs us away from wickedness and toward righteousness. Discipline by its very nature is not pleasant - and that is why the Lord doesn't tell us that we always have to be happy about it. But when we move from finding it unpleasant but necessary - to - hating it and despising those who offer it - then we move to dangerous territory. Wisdom has us embrace discipline and reproof. Proverbs tells us that this is the way of life - the way things work - and the way to move from foolish actions to wise ones. We are told here to love discipline. To appreciate it for what it is - instruction that keeps us from problems - keeps us from ungodly patterns and habits in our lives. Those patterns and habits yield destruction and death. Thus we need to learn to embrace discipline because when we learn from it - we receive what Hebrews calls, 'The peacable fruit of righteousness." We learn what is right and we hold fast what is right when we learn from correction. Otherwise we just become entrenched in our wrong - in error - and in ways that are displeasing to the Lord. Stupid is not a great word to use every day - or a good name to call someone. Yet, God in His wisdom lets us know that when we hate the correction and reproof that will lead us to a godly life - we are being nothing less than stupid! |
Proverb a DayEach day, we'll take a look at a verse from the chapter of Proverbs for the day. Our hope is to gain wisdom each day - and from that wisdom - to have understanding to make godly decisions in the throes of everyday life. Thank you for visiting our website! Everything on this site is offered for free. If, however, you would like to make a donation to help pay for its continued presence on the internet, you can do that by clicking here. The only thing we ask is that you give first to the local church you attend. Thank you!
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